Former National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ralph Nwosu, has faulted the growing trend of judicial involvement in political party affairs, warning that allowing courts to determine party leadership could undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.

Nwosu made the remarks amid the controversy surrounding the recent Court of Appeal judgement that invalidated congresses and a national convention conducted under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark, who currently heads the party.

The appellate court, sitting in Abuja, affirmed an earlier Federal High Court ruling that barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising congresses organised by committees appointed by the Mark-led leadership. The court held that the exercises were conducted in violation of an existing court order and were therefore invalid.

Despite the setback, the ADC has vowed to challenge the judgement at the Supreme Court, insisting that the ruling only affects the disputed congresses and has no bearing on the party’s direct primaries or candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Speaking during an interview on ARISE News on Tuesday, Nwosu argued that the judiciary should not be drawn into deciding who leads political parties, stressing that such matters are internal issues that should be resolved within party structures.

According to him, previous Supreme Court decisions have consistently maintained that leadership disputes within political parties fall outside the jurisdiction of the courts.

He cautioned that excessive judicial intervention in party affairs could set a dangerous precedent for Nigeria’s democracy.

“If courts continue to determine who leads political parties, we may eventually reach a point where they decide every aspect of the political process, including who becomes president,” he said.

Nwosu further described the ongoing legal contest as an example of political interference driven by powerful interests seeking to impose their will on party structures.

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He maintained that the National Working Committee currently in charge of the ADC was properly constituted and remains legitimate.

According to him, a competent court had earlier affirmed the validity of the leadership headed by David Mark, adding that the party continues to operate in line with its constitution and INEC guidelines.

The former party chairman also dismissed suggestions that the Court of Appeal judgement had altered the party’s leadership structure or affected its preparations for future elections.

He emphasised that the ruling was limited to the congresses in dispute and did not invalidate the party’s leadership or the processes used to nominate candidates.

“The judgement addressed the congresses alone. It did not speak on the party’s leadership and it did not invalidate the primaries that produced candidates,” Nwosu stated.

The dispute has added another layer of uncertainty to the ADC’s internal politics as the party prepares for the 2027 electoral cycle, with both supporters and critics awaiting the outcome of the anticipated Supreme Court appeal.