ADC assembles 97 lawyers to battle alleged APC ‘fake lawsuit’ against interim leadership

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has mobilized a formidable legal team of 97 lawyers to challenge what it calls a “fake lawsuit” allegedly orchestrated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) against its newly constituted interim leadership.

The announcement was made on Tuesday in Abuja by the lead counsel, Barrister Mohammed Sheriff, who accused the APC of filing a legal suit using the names of individuals who are not actual members of the ADC. He described the move as a deliberate attempt to create confusion and destabilize the party.

The legal pushback comes just days after a high-level stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja between the ADC’s Kogi State chapter and former Senate President David Mark, who recently assumed the role of Interim National Chairman of the party. Also named in the APC’s disputed lawsuit is former Minister Rauf Aregbesola, who is part of the ADC’s interim leadership.

‘We Are Equal Stakeholders’
At the meeting, Mark assured Nigerians that under his leadership, the ADC would operate with total transparency and would not favour any presidential aspirant.

“I don’t own this party more than any other member… All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC,” he said.

He urged party members to set aside their differences and focus on building a united political force, warning that Nigeria’s democracy could fail if citizens remained passive.

The ADC chairman also criticised the APC, saying the ruling party should focus on fixing its own policy failures rather than targeting individuals.

“If they admitted that insecurity was bad and promised to improve it but instead made it worse, should Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no,” he said.

APC Accused of ‘Machiavellian Politics’
The ADC alleged that the APC had fabricated names in its lawsuit against the party’s interim leadership.

According to the ADC, investigations showed that the supposed plaintiffs in the suit were not registered members of the party in either Kogi or Nasarawa State.

“It smacks of desperation that a party entrusted with leading 200 million Nigerians would engage in such dishonesty,” the party said.

Mark used the occasion to call for national unity and encouraged Nigerians to support the ADC’s vision of a reformed and people-centred democracy.

“Let us work together to rebuild this nation for future generations,” he urged.

Barrister Sheriff, head of the ADC’s national legal support team, confirmed that 97 lawyers had volunteered to take up the case.

“We are fully prepared to defend the ADC and its leaders against this politically motivated attack,” he said.

(Vanguard)