Members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Wednesday, staged a protest at the Federal High Court in Abuja, demanding the immediate release of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment that nullified the party’s National Working Committee led by former Senate President, David Mark.
The protesters accused the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu, of withholding the judgment delivered on November 5, despite their lawyers’ application for its certified copy.
They argued that the delay was preventing the party from effectively challenging the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The opposition members also called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to intervene, alleging that the failure to release the document could undermine their constitutional right to appeal.
Speaking during the protest, a former Acting Chairman of the ADC in the Federal Capital Territory, Yusuf Shehu Tijani, described the judgment as a “sham” and demanded that the judge release its certified copy.
“Our reason for coming here today is what Justice Lifu is doing. He is holding on to the sham judgment he said he passed. He should send the CTC, so that we can get it and appeal the judgment.
“Moreover, the Supreme Court already affirmed the leadership of Senator David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress. So why is the High Court going against that recognition saying he’s passing a judgment?
“Now the judgment you passed, give us the Certified True Copy so that we can appeal, he is refusing to do that. That is why we are here,” he said.
Tijani said the demonstration was aimed at drawing the NJC’s attention to the alleged delay and pressuring the judge to release the document.
“So the protest is to call on the NJC to pressure this man, let him do what is right, because justice must prevail in Nigeria. This is not a jungle. This is a country that has laws, that has rules, and we have to follow the Constitution of the country.
“The stated law is that he should send the CTC so that we can appeal the judgment which is a sham judgment in the first place,” he added.
The protest came days after members of the ADC candidates’ forum petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over the alleged delay in releasing the judgment.
In the petition dated November 10 and signed by Audu Aliyu on behalf of the candidates, the group said its lawyers applied for the CTC immediately after Justice Lifu delivered the judgment on November 5 and paid the required fees.
However, it alleged that five days after the ruling, the document had not been released despite daily visits by its lawyers to the court registry.
The petition read in part, “We disagree with the judgment. We have a constitutional right to appeal it. But we cannot appeal what we do not have.
“As at today, 10th November, 2026, five (5) days after judgment, the CTC has NOT been released to us. Our lawyers have visited the Registry daily to no avail without any lawful explanation.”
The candidates further alleged that they had credible information that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to implement the judgment despite their inability to obtain its certified copy.
They argued that the alleged delay violated Section 294(1) of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for the delivery of written court decisions and the availability of copies to parties.
The petitioners also cited Sections 241 and 242 of the Constitution, which provide for appeals against decisions of the Federal High Court to the Court of Appeal.
Warning of the consequences of the alleged delay, the group said withholding the judgment until the relevant election timetable expired could effectively frustrate its right to appeal.
“If a party can obtain a judgment against the opposition on Thursday, and the CTC is withheld until the election timetable closes, then the right of appeal becomes a mere illusion. Democracy dies not by coup, but by Registry delay,” the petition stated.
The candidates urged the Chief Judge to direct the Registrar to release the CTC within 24 hours of receiving the petition, specifically on or before Wednesday, November 11.
They also informed the Chief Judge that ADC members, candidates and supporters would converge on the Federal High Court premises in Abuja by 10am on Wednesday to receive the document.
However, the petitioners maintained that the planned gathering was not intended as a protest against the judiciary but a demand for access to the judgment to enable them to pursue their appeal.
Copies of the petition were also sent to the President of the Court of Appeal, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the NJC, the INEC Chairman, the Nigerian Bar Association’s Abuja branch and the Inspector-General of Police.
The dispute stems from Justice Lifu’s November 5 judgment, which nullified Mark’s emergence as ADC National Chairman and invalidated decisions taken by the party under his leadership.
Justice Lifu further directed INEC not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (North-East), who argued that he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.