The All Progressives Congress (APC) has accused the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) of creating its own leadership crisis through disregard for the rule of law.
This was just as it urged the opposition party to take responsibility for its predicament rather than blaming the ruling party.
The APC also criticised the ADC for attacking the judiciary whenever court judgments go against it, accusing the opposition party of selectively upholding the rule of law only when judicial decisions favour its interests.
Politics Nigeria reports that the party described the attitude as “the habitual folly of a vessel of a party scuttled by its own pirate leaders.”
APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated this in a statement on Friday while reacting to the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and all its official actions, including its primary election processes and outcomes.
Morka maintained that the judgment was a consequence of the ADC leadership’s alleged disregard for the rule of law and the party’s internal democratic processes.
He accused the opposition party of seeking to take control of Nigeria without respecting the authority and independence of the judiciary, describing the institution as an indispensable pillar of democracy.
“In their warped reckoning, only courts and judges that side with them are worthy, while those that rule differently are a menace to society. That is senselessness in the extreme,” he said.
According to Morka, the case that culminated in the judgment was instituted by aggrieved ADC national officers against what he described as the alleged hijacking of the party’s leadership by Mark and his associates.
He insisted that the APC was neither a party to the suit nor involved in the dispute, dismissing allegations of the ruling party’s interference in the ADC crisis.
“And the APC has absolutely no role in the party’s judicial quagmire. The case resulted from a legal challenge brought by ADC national officers victimised by the bare-faced heist of the party’s leadership by David Mark and his co-pirates to satisfy Atiku Abubakar’s quixotic presidential ambition.
“It didn’t matter to them that their hostile takeover of that party was in flagrant violation of the rule of law and ADC’s internal democracy, as a court of competent jurisdiction has now declared,” Morka said.
The APC spokesman further accused the Mark-led faction of blaming the judiciary and promoting conspiracy theories instead of accepting responsibility for the circumstances that led to the court ruling.
“Now they lash out in a fit of rage at the court and innocent spectators for the judicial outcome that was the inevitable consequence of their reckless political misadventure. They rave and rant senselessly, peddle conspiracy theories, but take no responsibility or accountability for the self-inflicted injury that the court only judicially certified,” he added.
Morka advised the ADC to pursue an appeal if it was dissatisfied with the judgment rather than engaging in political attacks against the APC or making threats capable of inciting unrest.
“The ADC is a decrepit party and continues to prove itself as grossly unfit to be taken seriously by Nigerians, and Nigerians are unperturbed by their irresponsible and dangerous rhetoric. A party that cannot fix itself cannot possibly fix Africa’s most important country,” he said.
He, however, reaffirmed the APC’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s democracy, upholding the rule of law and ensuring good governance under President Bola Tinubu.
“Our great Party and the President Tinubu administration remain committed to preserving Nigeria’s democracy, upholding the rule of law, and delivering good governance to all Nigerians, and unfazed by the wolf cries of a drowning opposition,” Morka added.
