ADC members protest to get court judgment against David Mark

Members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) protested at the Federal High Court in Abuja. They demanded the release of the Certified True Copy of the judgment that dismissed the party’s National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark.

The protesters asked the National Judicial Council to step in. They accused the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu, of holding back the judgment given on November 5. This delay is stopping them from appealing the decision at the Court of Appeal.

During the protest on Wednesday, Yusuf Shehu Tijani, a former Acting Chairman of the ADC in the Federal Capital Territory, called the judgment a “sham.” He urged the judge to release the certified copy.

“Our reason for coming here today is what Justice Lifu is doing. He is holding on to the sham judgment he said he passed. He should send the CTC so that we can get it and appeal the judgment.

“Moreover, the Supreme Court already affirmed the leadership of Senator David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress. So why is the High Court going against that recognition saying he’s passing a judgment?

“Now the judgment you passed, give us the Certified True Copy so that we can appeal. He is refusing to do that. That is why we are here,” he said.

Tijani explained that the protest aimed to get the NJC's attention about the delay and to force the judge to release the document.

“So the protest is to call on the NJC to pressure this man. Let him do what is right because justice must prevail in Nigeria. This is not a jungle. This is a country that has laws. We have to follow the Constitution of the country.

“The stated law is that he should send the CTC so that we can appeal the judgment which is a sham judgment in the first place,” he added.

The protest came after a petition was sent on November 10 to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho. ADC candidates’ forum members demanded the immediate release of the judgment.

In the petition signed by Audu Aliyu for the candidates, the group said their lawyers asked for the CTC right after Justice Lifu gave the judgment on November 5 and paid the necessary fees.

But they claimed that five days after the judgment, they still had not received the document, despite their lawyers visiting the court’s registry several times.

The petition states, “We disagree with the judgment. We have a constitutional right to appeal it. But we cannot appeal what we do not have.

“As at today, 10th November 2026, five (5) days after judgment, the CTC has NOT been released to us. Our lawyers have visited the Registry daily to no avail without any lawful explanation.”

The candidates also alleged that they received credible information that the ruling All Progressives Congress was pushing the Independent National Electoral Commission to act on the judgment, even though they could not get the certified copy.

They argued that the delay broke Section 294(1) of the 1999 Constitution. This section says courts must give written decisions and make copies available to parties.

They also mentioned Sections 241 and 242 of the Constitution, which allow appeals from decisions of the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal.

The petitioners warned that if the judgment is withheld until the election timetable ends, it could take away their right to appeal.

“If a party can obtain a judgment against the opposition on Thursday, and the CTC is withheld until the election timetable closes, then the right of appeal becomes a mere illusion. Democracy dies not by coup, but by Registry delay,” the petition stated.

The group asked the Chief Judge to order the Registrar to release the CTC within 24 hours after receiving the petition, specifically by November 11.

They also informed the Chief Judge that their support groups, made up of ADC members, candidates, and other concerned Nigerians, would gather at the Federal High Court by 10am on Wednesday to collect the document.

The petitioners stressed that their gathering was not a protest against the judiciary. It was a demand for access to the judgment so they could pursue their appeal.

Copies of the petition were sent to the President of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the NJC, the INEC Chairman, the Nigerian Bar Association Abuja branch, and the Inspector-General of Police.

This controversy began after the November 5 judgment where Justice Lifu nullified Mark's position as ADC National Chairman. He also invalidated decisions made by the party under his leadership, including the process that named former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Lifu also directed INEC not to recognize or act on decisions made at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.

This judgment followed a suit by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (North-East). He claimed he had the right to lead the party after the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.

The ADC filed a notice of appeal against the judgment on November 6 and also asked for a stay of execution. They urged INEC not to take any action that could affect the outcome of the appeal.