Tony Okafor, Awka 

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator Victor Umeh, has declared that the party is experiencing a surge in growth and cohesion, dismissing speculations of internal crisis ahead of its national convention.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Monday, Umeh insisted that the ADC remains united in its resolve to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative to the ruling party.

“There is no power struggle breaking out in our convention tomorrow. The party is booming, and all the people in the party are united in their efforts to give Nigerians an alternative,” he said, adding that democracy thrives on the availability of choices for citizens.

The senator, who represents Anambra Central, also used the occasion to raise concerns about what he described as judicial interference in the internal affairs of political parties.

He accused some members of the judiciary of undermining democratic principles by entertaining suits relating to party leadership.

According to him, disputes over party leadership are internal matters that fall outside the jurisdiction of the courts. He cited the landmark Supreme Court decision in Onuora v. Okafor, which, he said, established that political questions are non-justiciable.

Umeh referenced a suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja by one Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging the positions of Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Adebayo Shittu as National Secretary of the ADC.

He argued that such matters should not be adjudicated by the courts, maintaining that the law is clear on the issue.

He further cited provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 83(5), which, according to him, expressly bars courts from assuming jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties.

“This is the current law. No court in Nigeria should entertain matters pertaining to the internal affairs of a political party,” he stated.

Dismissing insinuations of factionalism within the ADC, Umeh maintained that the party’s leadership remains intact and duly constituted, noting that the emergence of its current executives followed due process and was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He emphasized that the presence of INEC at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting, where the leadership was elected, lends credibility to the process and nullifies claims of illegitimacy.

On the forthcoming national convention, the lawmaker expressed confidence that the exercise would proceed as scheduled, stressing that there is no subsisting court order restraining it.

“There is no order stopping our convention. It will hold as planned,” he affirmed.

Responding to criticisms that the ADC is populated by recycled politicians, Umeh dismissed the argument as unfounded, noting that political realignments are a common feature of democratic systems. He pointed out that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) itself emerged from a coalition of established political actors.

He argued that what matters is not the political history of individuals but the ability of parties to offer good governance and allow citizens to freely choose their leaders.

Umeh  reiterated  the ADC’s commitment to the rule of law, accountability, and democratic freedoms, pledging that any government formed by the party would respect the will of the people.

“We must allow citizens to decide whether to retain or remove leaders. That is the essence of democracy,” he said.