Headline

Presidential Elections: APC Leads as INEC Releases Results (See How they Fared)

Published

7 years ago

February 26, 2019

Eric

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday started the announcement of the results of Saturday’s presidential election.

As of the time of filing this report, INEC had announced the result in 10 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

The states are Ondo, Ekiti, Gombe, Kwara, Kogi, Yobe, Abia, Osun, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Enugu and the Federal Capital Territory.

The results were announced by the returning officers of the states at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.

The presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, President Muhammadu Buhari, won in Ekiti, Nasarawa, Yobe, Kwara, Kogi and Gombe, while his closest rival, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, won in Ondo, Abia, Ebonyi and the FCT.

However, some results declared by collation officers in states which have not been taken to the national collation centre in Abuja reveal that Buhari is in strong lead. The states where Buhari is leading in this category include Bauchi, Lagos, Ogun and Sokoto, Jigawa, Kaduna while Atiku has won in Adamawa and Plateau states.

Buhari wins in Kwara with 308,984 votes

In Kwara State, Buhari won the election having scored 308,984 votes, as announced by INEC.

The result was announced on Monday at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, by Prof. Abdullahi Bala, of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Niger State, who is the Collation Officer for the election in Kwara.

Bala, while announcing the result, said Atiku scored 138,984 votes.

He said Prof. Kingsley Moghalu of the Young Progressives Party secured 140 votes; Ositelu Babatunde of Accord (A) got 149 votes; while Ibrahim Hassan of the African Peoples Alliance scored 1,010 votes.

Bala gave the number of total registered voters in the state as 1,401,895; total accredited voters 489,482; Total valid votes 459,676, total votes cast at 486,254 and rejected votes to be 26,578.

Atiku floors Buhari in Adamawa

However, Atiku was declared the winner of the election in his home state of Adamawa.

Declaring the result on Monday in Yola, the Presidential Election Returning Officer for Adamawa, Prof. Andrew Yakubu, said Abubakar scored 410,266 votes to defeat the APC candidate who scored 378,078 votes.

Yakubu said the total number of registered voters in the state was 1,959,322, while 874,920 voters were accredited

The Presidential election results are from the 21 local government areas of Adamawa.

The PDP won in 11 LGAs, while the APC had 10.

INEC announces Buhari winner in Ekiti

INEC however announced Buhari of the APC as winner of Saturday’s election in Ekiti.

The result was announced at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, by Prof. Idowu Olayinka, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ibadan, who is the Collation Officer for the election in the state.

Olayinka said Buhari polled 219, 231 votes to beat Atiku, who scored 154,032 votes. Felix Nicholas of Peoples Coalition Party was third with 2,299 votes.

According to him, Moghalu of YPP scored 68 votes, Mr Da-Sliva Ayo of Save Nigeria Congress polled 339 votes, and Omoyele Sowere of the African Action Congress got 400 votes.

Other scores, Olayinka said, were 406 votes for the African Democratic Congress and 88 votes for Durotoye Olufela of Alliance for New Nigeria.

He said that total registered voters in Ekiti was 899,919, but that 395,741 were accredited, while total votes cast in the poll was 393,709, with 12, 577 rejected.

Olayinka noted that the number of political parties on the ballot paper was responsible for the high number of voided votes in the election.

Buhari defeats Atiku in Ogun

Also in Ogun State, Prof. Joseph Adeola-Fuwape, the state Collation Officer for the Presidential election, declared Buhari as the winner of the poll.

Adeola-Fuwape, who announced the result at the INEC headquarters in Abeokuta on Monday, said Buhari scored 281,762 votes, while his closest rival scored 194,655 votes.

Adeola-Fuwape, who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, said the total number of registered voters was 2,336, 887 while the total number of accredited voters was 613,397.

Adeola-Fuwape added that the number of valid votes was 564, 256 while 41,682 votes were rejected.

He also said the total number of votes cast was 605, 938.

He said Buhari won in 14 of the 20 council areas in the state while Atiku won in six council areas.

Buhari wins in Sokoto

INEC has also declared Buhari as the winner of the presidential election in Sokoto State with a margin of 138,729 votes.

Announcing the results at the Sultan Muhammadu Maccido Institute for Qur’an and General Studies, Prof. Mohammed Yahuza, the state returning officer for the presidential election, stated that Buhari polled 490,333 votes ahead of Atiku who scored 351,604.

Significantly, Buhari recorded massive win at Wamakko, Sokoto South, Wurno, Sokoto North, Gwadabawa and Tambuwal Local Government Areas of the state.

The PDP, however, put up a good showing in Silame, Isa, Tureta and Gudu Local Government Areas, out of the entire 23 LGAs in the state.

Out of the total 1,895,256 registered voters in the state, 950,107 were accredited for the election.

Out of this number, 925,940 voted; 871,891 were valid votes cast, and 54,049 recorded as voided votes.

Buhari triumphs over Atiku in Gombe

Buhari also won the election in Gombe State after polling 403,961 votes out of 580,649 total votes cast in the state.

The result was announced on Monday at INEC National Collation Centre in Abuja, by the State Returning Officer, Prof. Kyari Mohammed.

Mohammed, who is also the Vice-Chancellor of Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola, said Atiku scored 138,484 votes in the state.

He said that out of the 1,385,191 total registered voters in the state, 604,240 were accredited. The number of valid votes was 554,203, while 26,446 were rejected.

Mohammed said election was cancelled in 13 polling units in two Local Government Areas with 7,090 registered voters in the affected areas.

The cancelled polling units include 11 in Balanga LGA with 6,308 voters and two polling units with 782 registered voters in Duku LGA.

Atiku sweeps Ebonyi

INEC has declared Atiku winner in the presidential poll held in Ebonyi State on Saturday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the APC in the state had, however, rejected the result and vowed to challenge it through appropriate channels.

The Presidential Election Collation Officer in the state, Prof. Chukwuemeka Eze, supervised the declaration of the results by INEC’s collation officers in the 13 local government areas in the state at the commission’s headquarters in Abakaliki.

Eze said Atiku garnered 258, 575 votes as against Buhari’s 90, 726 votes.

According to the results declared, Atiku won in 12 LGAs leaving Buhari with victory in Ikwo council.

Reacting to the result, Chairman of the APC in the state, Mr Eze Nwachukwu, called for the cancellation of the election citing intimidation, electoral violence and over-voting, allegedly committed by the ruling party in the state as reasons.

INEC declares Buhari as winner in Kogi

However, INEC announced Buhari as the winner of the election in Kogi State.

The result was announced at the National Collation Centre (ICC) Abuja, by Prof. Michael Adikwu, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Abuja, who is the Collation Officer for the election in the state.

Adikwu announced that Buhari polled 285,894 votes to defeat the PDP candidate, Atiku, who scored 218,207 votes.

Dr Obadiah Mailafia of the African Democratic Congress came third with 4,369 votes.

He said the number of registered voters in Kogi was 1,640,449 but that 570,773 were accredited, while votes cast were 553,496 with 32,480 rejected.

Adikwu noted that there were cases of violence in 15 out of 21 Local Government Areas in the state, which led to cancellation of 89, 101 votes.

Buhari defeats Atiku in Bauchi

President Buhari of the APC has won the presidential election in Bauchi State.

According to results announced by the Local Government Collation Officers in Bauchi on Monday, Buhari polled 798,438 to defeat Atiku.

The State Collation Officer who is the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Kashere, Gombe State, Prof. Alhassan Ghali, said Atiku got 209,313 votes in the election.

The APC candidate won in 19 of the 20 local governments in the state while the PDP won in only Bogoro LGA.

The last result from Katagum LGA arrived at the collation centre at about 9.20 pm after a long wait.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner, Ibrahim Abdullahi, thanked party agents and observers for their patience.

However, the result will be officially declared in Abuja later today (Tuesday).

Buhari floors Atiku in Lagos

Buhari has also polled 580,825 votes to defeat his closest rival, Atiku of the PDP in Lagos State.

According to Prof. Felix Salako, the Vice-Chancellor, University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, who was the INEC state collation officer, Atiku scored 448,015 to come second at the end of the state final collation of the Presidential election results from the 20 LGAs of the state.

Salako, who collated the results of the 20 LGAs, said the state had 6,313,507 registered voters out of which 1, 196, 490 were accredited for voting.

The LGA collation officers properly presented the results one after the other as they arrived at the collation centre before they were accepted by Salako.

According to him, the valid votes are 1,089,567, total rejected votes (67,023) while votes cast stand at 1,157, 590 in the presidential election.

Reeling out the results of each political parties, he said Accord polled 5, 948 votes, AAC, 8, 910; ADC, 2915; ADP, 1,262; and ANN polled 6,946.

The professor added that APA had 1,495 votes, DPP polled 1,372 votes, PCP got 8,458, and SNC scored 1766.

The other political parties that participated in the poll had less than 1000 votes each.

According to him, Form 6OE will be pasted at the collation centre after duly signed by the party agents.

Party agents took turns to sign the collated results for onward transmission to Abuja for the final collation.

Atiku wins Plateau with 548, 665 votes

Meanwhile, Atiku has won Saturday’s presidential election in Plateau State after scoring 548,665 votes.

Atiku defeated his closest opponent, Buhari, of the APC, who scored 468, 555 votes.

Prof. Richard Kimbir, the Collation Officer for the election in the state, declared the results on Monday in Jos.

Kambir, who is the Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, said Atiku won in 11 local government areas to defeat Buhari who won in six LGAs.

Atiku thrashes Buhari in Enugu

However, Atiku was announced as the winner of Saturday’s presidential election in Enugu State.

The result was announced at the National Collation Centre, Abuja, by Prof. Joseph Ehaneku, the Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, who is the Collation Officer for the election in the state.

Ehaneku announced that Atiku polled 355,553 votes to defeat Buhari, who scored 54,423 votes.

He said that total registered voters in Abia were 1,935,168 but that 452,765 were accredited, while total votes cast in the polls were 451,014 with 30,049 rejected.

Buhari records landslide victory in Yobe

But Buhari was declared winner of the election in Yobe State.

Prof. Abubakar Musa, the State Returning Officer and Vice-Chancellor, Federal University Wukari , Taraba State, announcing the result, said Buhari scored 497,914 votes in the state.

Musa said that Atiku scored 50,763 votes from the 559.365 valid votes cast in the state.

He said that the state had 1,365,913 registered voters, 601,059 accredited voters for the election, 586,137 total votes cast and 26,772 rejected votes.

INEC declares Buhari winner in Jigawa

Buhari has also been declared winner in Jigawa State.

Prof. Abdullahi Zuru, Vice-Chancellor of Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, who is the State Collation Officer for the election, announced the result in Dutse on Monday.

He said that Buhari, who sought for re -election on the platform of the APC scored 794,738 to defeat his closest rival, Atiku who got 289,895 votes.

Zuru explained that a total of 1,106,244 votes were valid, 43,678 rejected and 1,149,922, the total number of votes cast during the exercise.

INEC declares Buhari winner in Kaduna

Buhari has won in Kaduna State with 993,482 votes.

Prof. Bello Shehu, the Returning Officer announced the result on Monday in Kaduna.

Shehu said Atiku scored 613,318 votes in the poll.

He said the APC won in 14 local government areas of the state, while the PDP won in nine local government areas.

INEC announces Atiku winner in Abia

Meanwhile, INEC has announced Atiku as winner of the election Abia State.

The result was announced at the National Collation Centre (ICC) Abuja, by Prof. Chinedum Nwajiuba, the Vice-Chancellor, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo, Ebonyi, who was the Collation Officer for the election in the state.

Nwajiuba announced that Atiku polled 219,698 votes to defeat Buhari, who scored 85,048 votes.

Similarly, Mr Donald Duke of the SDP was announced as coming third with 472 votes.

He said the number of registered voters in Abia was 1,793,861 but 361,561 were accredited, while votes cast in the polls were 344,471 with 21,180 rejected.

Nwajiuba noted that 98 polling units across seven Local Government Areas of the state were affected, while the number of registered voters affected was 59,825.

The Punch

Headline

Mary Habila’s Death: Tinubu Has Failed Comprehensively, Disgracefully – Atiku

Published

2 days ago

July 16, 2026

Eric

By Eric Elezuo

A former Vice President, and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has lashed out at the administration of President Bola Tinubu over its prolonged silence on the death of a medical practitioner, Mary Habila, who died at the residence of the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi.

Atiku condemned the inability of the Tinubu-led government from making any pronouncements or instituting any form of probe to unravel the cause of death since the sad incident occurred on June 27, 2026, saying the administration has failed comprehensively and disgracefully.

Atiku’s remarks are contained in a statement he released on his social platforms endorsed with his regular AA.

While not casting any blame on any particular person or entity, Atiku maintained that condolences are not enough,but must be accompanied by thorough investigation into the circumstances that led to the death of the 26 years old medical practitioner in her prime.

The former Vice President therefore called for a “credible, independent, and transparent investigation” to establish the truth, noting that “it is the refusal of the Federal Government to guarantee such an investigation that constitutes the scandal before us”.

The statement in full:

I have followed with deep sorrow and mounting concern the reports surrounding the death of Miss Mary Habila, a 26-year-old Nigerian from Nok, Southern Kaduna, who died on June 27, 2026, within the private residence of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, in Uburu, Ebonyi State.

First, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the Habila family. No family should have to mourn a daughter taken in the prime of her life while also fighting simply to learn the truth of how she died.

But condolences are not enough. Nigerians deserve answers, and it is on this score that the Tinubu administration has failed, comprehensively and disgracefully.

Consider the facts that are not in dispute. A young woman died in the residence of a serving Federal Minister. For nearly two weeks, neither the Minister, nor the police, nor any arm of government said a word to the Nigerian people. It took the courage of Sahara Reporters to bring this death into public view. Three weeks after her death, no autopsy has been performed. No cause of death has been established. The investigation remains domiciled in the very state where the Minister served two terms as Governor and where his influence is beyond question.

And through all of this, silence from the Presidency. Silence from the Federal Executive Council. Silence from the Inspector-General of Police. Silence from the National Assembly. Not one word. Not one directive. Not one gesture to assure Nigerians that the life of Mary Habila matters to this government.

Instead, the Minister has been permitted to manage the narrative of a death that occurred under his own roof: issuing statements through his personal aides, deploying his private lawyers to correspond with the police, and continuing his official duties as though nothing has happened, while civil society groups, youth organisations, and the family’s own community cry out for an independent inquiry.

Let me be clear: I make no pronouncement on anyone’s guilt or innocence. That is precisely the point. Only a credible, independent, and transparent investigation can establish the truth, and it is the refusal of the Federal Government to guarantee such an investigation that constitutes the scandal before us.

A government’s first duty is the protection of life. Where a life is lost in circumstances touching a high official of state, the burden on government to act transparently is at its heaviest.

President Tinubu’s administration has instead treated this tragedy as an inconvenience to be waited out. If the death of a young Nigerian woman in a Minister’s residence cannot stir this government to act, then Nigerians must ask: whose life, exactly, does this government value?

I therefore demand the following: One, President Bola Tinubu must direct the Honourable Minister of Works to step aside immediately, pending the conclusion of investigations. This is not a punishment; it is the minimum standard of public accountability in any serious democracy. No official under this cloud should preside over a federal ministry as though it were business as usual.

Two, the Inspector-General of Police must immediately transfer the investigation from the Ebonyi State Command to Force Headquarters, with the involvement of independent forensic experts. No investigation conducted in the shadow of the Minister’s home-state influence can command public confidence.

Three, a full, independent, and internationally credible autopsy must be conducted without further delay, with the findings made public. The stalemate over the post-mortem, three weeks after this young woman’s death is an indictment of every institution involved.

Four, the family of Mary Habila must be protected from any pressure, inducement, or intimidation, and must be guaranteed unfettered access to the facts of their daughter’s death.

The measure of a nation is how it responds when the powerful are touched by tragedy and the powerless demand truth. Mary Habila was somebody’s daughter, somebody’s sister, a young professional with her life ahead of her. She was a Nigerian. Her death must not be reduced to a footnote of political convenience.

Nigeria will work again, but only when the life of every Nigerian counts, and when no one, however highly placed, stands beyond the reach of accountability.

May the soul of Mary Habila rest in peace. May her family find justice. -AA

Headline

Atiku Accuses INEC of Aiding Tinubu’s Alleged One-party State Agenda

Published

4 days ago

July 14, 2026

Eric

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of aiding President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 polls by granting access to a factional leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a statement issued Monday by the Atiku Media Office, Atiku alleged that INEC’s actions amounted to partisanship and a violation of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The statement referenced a July 11, 2026 claim by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who “parades himself as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)”, that he had succeeded in uploading the names of his candidates on INEC’s portal.

According to Atiku’s office, uploading candidates is part of the process for the 2027 General Elections, made possible by access codes granted to political parties in line with INEC guidelines.

“Meanwhile, INEC has been mum, and has not denied or confirmed this obvious contradiction to the law and its own guidelines,” the statement said.

Atiku’s team argued that by granting an access code to Bala Gombe, INEC was recognizing a “pretender” despite having “since validated the chairmanship of the Sen. David Mark-led exco.”

“By granting access code to Bala Gombe, a pretender, laying claims to the chairmanship of the ADC, though the law is not on his side and INEC has since validated the chairmanship of the Sen. David Mark-led exco, the electoral umpire is once again manifesting its partisanship,” the statement noted.

It drew parallels with a past incident under Prof. Joash Amupitan-led INEC, alleging the commission “illegally removed the names of the duly recognised ADC exco following the judicial rascality of Justice Lifu in ignoring a superior ruling of an appellate court.”

The statement described the “so-called ‘successful’ uploading of ‘candidates’ by Nafiu Bala Gombe” as lacking legal basis.

“Nafiu Bala Gombe is not recognised as ADC Chairman. Mark is duly recognised. Can there be two recognised Chairmen of a political party? Possibly only in an INEC led by Amupitan. Can INEC grant two access codes to a political party? Certainly not,” it added.

Atiku’s office warned that the development “is a recipe for crisis and confirms that Prof Joash Amupitan was appointed to enable the weakening of the opposition parties by creating crisis even where none exists.”

Citing the law, the statement noted that Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) provides that candidates must emerge through recognized party primaries supervised by INEC, while Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 requires parties to submit only one validly nominated candidate per elective office.

“Nafiu Bala Gombe and his criminal gang did not conduct any primaries. The INEC granting of access code to Nafiu Bala Gombe is unconstitutional and unlawful. The only submitted candidates known to the law are those of David Mark. Any parallel submission such as Nafiu Bala Gombe’s is null and void,” it said.

The statement called on the INEC Chairman to stop “fomenting crisis in the ADC and the other opposition parties and by so doing helping President Bola Tinubu’s agenda of total State capture.”

Headline

Appeal Court Upholds Judgment Ordering INEC to Derecognise Mark-led EXCO

Published

5 days ago

July 13, 2026

Eric

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Monday affirmed the judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any state congresses organised by committees appointed by the Senator David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The appellate court decision was a split of two-to-one.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a lead verdict delivered by Justice Okon Abang, said it found no reason to set aside the restraining order the Federal High Court in Abuja had issued against the Mark-led ADC on April 29.

It further upheld the order of trial Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, which restrained the Mark-led executives from interfering with the tenure and functions of the party’s elected state executives.

The appellate court concurred that responsibility for conducting state congresses of political parties rests with elected state executive committees, not with the national leadership.

While Justices Abang and Donatus Okorowo gave the majority verdict barring the electoral body from acknowledging the outcome of congresses held by the Mark-led leadership of the ADC, the head of the appellate court’s panel, Justice Abba Mohammed, gave a dissenting judgment.

In his minority decision, Justice Mohammed held that the case that precipitated the restraining order bordered on a non-justiciable internal affair of a political party.

He held that the trial court was wrong to have assumed jurisdiction to entertain the matter.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal judgment may jeopardise the presidential candidacies of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates who emerged through the national congress organised by the Mark-led faction of the ADC, ahead of the 2027 general elections.

It will be recalled that the High Court had, in its judgment, held that the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committees and State Executive Committees remained valid and subsisting, pending the conduct of properly constituted congresses and the convocation of a national convention.

The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026, lodged before the court by aggrieved members of the ADC.

Those behind the suit are Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Hon. Olona Yinka, Dr. Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick, who told the court that they sued for themselves and on behalf of all State Chairmen and State Executive Committees of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Listed as defendants in the matter are the ADC; Sen. David Mark; Sen. Patricia Akwashiki; Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; and Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor (sued on behalf of the Caretaker/Interim National Working Committee); and INEC.

The plaintiffs had, among other things, challenged the decision of the Senator Mark-led leadership of the ADC to constitute committees for the purpose of conducting state congresses.

They challenged the validity of appointments made by the Mark-led caretaker committee, arguing that planned state congresses slated for April 2026, if conducted under the supervision of the said caretaker committee, would constitute a gross violation of the party’s constitution.

It was further the position of the plaintiffs that only duly elected party organs recognised under the party’s constitution possess the power to conduct congresses.

While agreeing with the plaintiffs, Justice Abdulmalik held that neither the 1999 Constitution, as amended, nor the Constitution of the ADC empowered the caretaker/interim National Working Committee led by Senator Mark to appoint committees for the purpose of conducting state congresses.

The court held that the claims brought before it by the plaintiffs were valid and deserving of judicial consideration, citing an alleged breach of constitutional and statutory provisions.

It held that Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, mandates political parties to conduct periodic elections based on democratic principles, adding that Article 23 of the ADC Constitution also provides that national and state officers shall hold office for a maximum of two terms spanning eight years.

Justice Abdulmalik stressed that although courts are generally reluctant to interfere in the domestic affairs of political parties, they nonetheless intervene where there is a clear allegation of violation of constitutional or statutory provisions. Political commentary articles

She held that evidence before the court established that the tenure of the state executive committees of the ADC remained valid and must be allowed to run its full course without interference.

The court stressed that only those elected structures have the authority to organise state congresses, and it accordingly nullified any process initiated by the Senator Mark-led caretaker leadership.

Earlier, the court dismissed a preliminary objection filed by the defendants challenging the competence of the suit and the court’s jurisdiction to entertain it.

It held that the subject matter of the plaintiffs’ action pertained to the affairs of INEC and therefore fell within the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court under Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

The court also waved aside the defendants’ contention that the plaintiffs failed to exhaust internal dispute resolution mechanisms before instituting the action.

It held that the plaintiffs had the requisite locus standi (legal right) to file the suit.

The appellate court, while upholding the restraining order, said it had a duty to intervene so as to “prevent anarchy and ensure the survival of democracy in Nigeria.”

It cited a recent Supreme Court judgment in the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to hold that the ADC case could not be classified as a domestic affair of a political party.

“Once a complaint before the court is anchored on a constitutional infraction, the shield of internal affairs drops and the veil is lifted for judicial intervention,” Justice Abang added in the majority judgment.

Consequently, the panel dismissed the appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/608/2026, which the ADC lodged in order to set aside the high court judgment.

It held that congresses and the national convention conducted by the Mark-led ADC amounted to a nullity as they were held in disobedience to a subsisting order that the High Court made on April 14.

Having resolved the case against the ADC, the appellate court awarded a cost of N10million against the party.

Shortly after the judgment, the ADC, which was represented by its National Welfare Secretary, Mr Nkem Ukandu, said the party would take the case before the Supreme Court.