Appeal Court confirms Dasin-led ADC executives in Adamawa

The Court of Appeal sitting in Yola on Tuesday affirmed the former Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Barrister Ibrahim Sadiq Dasin, as the authentic chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state. Delivering the judgment, Hon. Justice O. A. Adegbehingbe granted the appeal and invalidated the verdict of the lower […]

The Court of Appeal sitting in Yola on Tuesday affirmed the former Speaker of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Barrister Ibrahim Sadiq Dasin, as the authentic chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state.
Delivering the judgment, Hon. Justice O. A. Adegbehingbe granted the appeal and invalidated the verdict of the lower court, which had previously nullified the party’s entire congresses in the state.
It recalls that the embattled factional chairman, Shehu Yohanna, had earlier approached the Yola High Court praying for the nullification of the party congress that produced Barrister Sadiq Dasin’s led state executive committee—a prayer the lower court initially granted.
However, during Tuesday’s sitting, the appellate court set aside the earlier judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Ahmed Isa of the State High Court.
Justice Adegbehingbe declared that the trial court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the respondents’ claims, given the established state of judicial decisions regarding intra-party disputes over congresses, leadership positions, and the internal administration of political parties.
According to the judge, Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act 2026 seeks to protect courts from prying into the internal affairs of politicians and political parties.
He subsequently set aside all orders and decisions made by the State High Court.
Justice Adegbehingbe noted that the respondents ought to have approached the Federal High Court rather than the State High Court, emphasizing that the lower court had no business entertaining the matter, thereby invalidating its judgment.
He further criticized the trial court judge for compromising the judicial process and awarded the sum of N20 million in favor of the appellants against Shehu Yohanna and the other respondents.

The appeal was jointly filed by the Chairman of the ADC Congress Committee, Gen. Ishaya Bauka (rtd), the political party itself, and the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC. It joined Shehu Yohanna Kambile, Ready Boniface, Idi Waziri, and Habiba Danjuma as the 1st to 4th respondents.

In his reaction, counsel to the appellants, M.J. Efewu Esq., thanked the court for the verdict, stating that Barrister Sadiq Dasin and his executive committee remain the legal and authentic officials of the ADC in Adamawa State.

Speaking on the judicial breakthrough, the vindicated ADC Chairman, Barrister Ibrahim Sadiq Dasin, appreciated the court for its fairness.

He urged executive members at both the local government and state levels to hit the ground running and work toward the victory of the party in the forthcoming general elections.