By Ebere Agozie
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has appealed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, to expedite the delivery of judgment in the party’s leadership tussle at the National Level.
The Mark-led faction of ADC appealed to the CJN in a letter, signed by its lead Counsel and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Shuaibu Aruwa.
The CJN’s office received the letter dated April 28.
It pleaded that the party would have no role to play in the 2027 general elections unless the judgment is delivered within three days starting from today.
The party claimed that it would suffer irreparable harm if the apex court did not deliver judgment in the protracted battle within the period allowed by the Electoral Act to field candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Supreme Court had on April 22 reserved judgment in the ADC crisis until a date to be communicated to the parties involved in the tussle.
A five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Lawal Garba reserved its verdict shortly after lawyers representing parties adopted their briefs of argument for and against the appeal.
However, sensing dangers in any further delay in the judgment delivery, the party raised a deep concern that it would not be able to participate in the forthcoming general election.
It noted that the ADC’s ability to comply with the statutory requirements to participate in the 2027 General Elections is wholly dependent on the timely delivery of the judgment in the instant appeal.
It reiterated that without the delivery of the judgment within the next three days from the date of the letter, ADC stands the grave and irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 General Elections.
It said this would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have subscribed to the ideals of the ADC, denying them their constitutional right to freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their choice.
It reminded the CJN that, in this peculiar circumstance, justice delayed would amount to justice denied. The entire political future of our client and the legitimate expectations of its members nationwide now hang in the balance.
