The Court of Appeal judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/608/2026 has dismissed the appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and affirmed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered on April 29, 2026.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dismissed an appeal by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), upholding the decision of the Federal High Court which had ruled in favour of seven state chairmen and members of the party’s state executive structures.
The judgment, delivered on Monday, July 13, 2026, by a three-member panel comprising Justices Abba Bello Mohammed, Okon Efreti Abang and Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo, arose from the Federal High Court judgment of April 29, 2026.
Justice Okon Efreti Abang, who delivered the lead judgment, held that the appeal lacked merit and affirmed the decision of the lower court.
At the centre of the dispute was the authority of the ADC’s caretaker National Working Committee to dissolve or replace the party’s existing state executive committees and appoint congress committees to conduct fresh state congresses.
The respondents had argued that their four-year tenure, which commenced with their inauguration on May 20, 2022, remained protected by the party’s constitution and the terms of a mediation agreement. The Court accepted the argument that the existing state executives were entitled to remain in office pending the lawful conduct of state congresses and the convocation of a national convention.
The Court further found that the appointment of alternative congress committees amounted to an unlawful usurpation of the constitutional functions of the elected state executive committees.
Court Nullifies ADC Congresses and National Convention
In a significant pronouncement, the Court of Appeal set aside and nullified decisions taken at the ADC state congresses and national convention conducted while proceedings were pending before the trial court.
The court noted that the ADC had proceeded with the congresses and national convention despite a subsisting order of the Federal High Court dated April 14, 2026.
Consequently, the Court held that all decisions taken at the state congresses and the national convention were “set aside and accordingly nullified.”
The appellate court stressed that court orders must be obeyed while they remain in force, regardless of whether a party considers such orders valid or otherwise.
₦10m Cost Awarded Against ADC
Having resolved the issues against the ADC, the Court concluded that the appeal was without merit and dismissed it.
The judgment of the Federal High Court was consequently affirmed, with the Court of Appeal awarding ₦10 million in costs against the appellant in favour of the first to seventh respondents.
Justice Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo, in his concurring judgment, said he agreed with the reasoning and conclusion of the lead judgment that the appeal lacked merit. He consequently dismissed the appeal and affirmed the lower court’s judgment, including the order on costs.
The ruling represents a major judicial setback for the faction of the ADC that conducted the disputed congresses and national convention, as the appellate court has now expressly nullified the decisions arising from those exercises.
