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A human rights lawyer, Festus Ogun, has said that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) did not breach the law by holding its recent national convention.
Nigeria’s electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), withdrew recognition of the National Working Council led by former Senate President David Mark, plunging the party into an internal crisis that many believe could hinder its chances of fielding a presidential candidate in the 2027 election.
All eyes have been on the party, which has vowed to unseat President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and how it would resolve its internal and legal crisis. The party, however, remained defiant despite the legal crisis and held its national convention on Tuesday.
But there have been arguments on the constitutionality of the convention. Ogun, while speaking on News Central’s Breakfast Central on Thursday morning, said the convention was valid and constitutional.
The lawyer explained that INEC ought to be notified of any convention and activities of political parties, especially as it relates to their leadership and the conduct of elections. According to him, if INEC was notified and failed to attend the convention, the convention remains valid under the law.
“That is to mean that so long as the political party has discharged its statutory obligation and responsibility by notifying INEC of the proposed convention, the proposed primary election, the proposed merger in case of merger of political parties, if INEC now chooses to say well we are not coming or they neglect to make themselves available, then the political party cannot be blamed because the political party has done what the law requires that they should do or it should do,” Ogun told News Central.
He added that INEC’s absence from the convention does not invalidate it because ADC did what the law required by informing INEC.
“In that event, I believe that the convention held by the ADC is valid, is constitutional and is within the ambit of law, and I do not think that the absence of INEC would invalidate it, however, because INEC has been notified by the ADC. So if INEC decides not to attend the convention, then it is INEC’s kettle of fish, but ADC has done what the law requires it to do,” Ogun added.
Human rights lawyer, @mrfestusogun, says that the ADC convention remains valid under the law, despite INEC’s absence, adding that the only legal requirement is that INEC must be duly notified, not necessarily present. pic.twitter.com/zt2q7wSZZd
— News Central TV (@NewsCentralTV) April 16, 2026
