Prominent political figure and promoter of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) and League of Northern Democrats, Dr. Umar Ardo, has issued a stern warning to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over its planned national convention this week.
He cautioned that defiance of the court order could see the party suffer the same legal and political consequences previously faced by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Speaking to THISDAY, Ardo stressed that the ADC risks falling foul of the judiciary if it proceeds with its convention in disregard of a court order that prohibits any action capable of affecting ongoing litigation involving the party’s factions.
“All hopes are not lost in the registration of the ADA, as its registration dispute is still under litigation in court,” Ardo said.
He argued that the leadership of the ADC would have avoided its current predicament had it earlier supported the registration of an alternative political party, such as the ADA.
“Though I am not an ADC member, I do not support the ADC going ahead with its planned congresses and convention as it is.
”In my opinion, this is a violation of the Court of Appeal order that no party involved in the dispute should do anything that would compromise the suit before the Federal High Court,” he stated.
Ardo identified the David Mark-led executive as the primary party to the ongoing suit, emphasising that it is in the best interest of both the party and the Nigerian state to adhere to the court’s directives.
“Doing otherwise is falling into the trap of the regime, as the rule of law would not be kind to the party. It should learn from the mistakes of PDP in Ibadan,” he added.
The political strategist lamented that the ADC failed to plan a secondary alternative, which he described as a critical oversight.
“If the leadership of the ADC had directed all members of the ADA to join the ADC, that would have served as a second alternative in view of the present situation,” Ardo explained.
While acknowledging that the ADA is not yet a registered political party, Ardo expressed optimism about its future, citing legal precedents in which courts have compelled the registration of other parties.
“We are in court, and there is a prospect that the court will compel the registration of the ADA, as it has done with other political parties.
‘:The ADA will not be an exception,” he said.
In a related development, sources within the PDP revealed that party stakeholders are considering turning to the Accord Party to host their presidential aspirants should legal hurdles prevent the PDP from fielding a candidate under its banner.
One source, who requested anonymity, stated, “We have a second alternative. The alternative is the Accord Party.
”In the past, the Accord Party has followed a familiar track like this with the PDP.
”Every political stakeholder of the PDP knows that, in some cases, the Accord Party has been there for the PDP. We are looking forward to continuing that relationship.”
The development comes amid growing political maneuvering ahead of the 2027 general elections, as parties weigh legal, strategic, and organisational options to ensure their candidates have a platform to contest the presidency.
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