The African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Ogun State has warned its members to stop dragging the party to court over internal disagreements or risk paying at least N20 million in fines.
The party issued the warning in a statement on Sunday in Abeokuta, signed by its State Publicity Secretary, Olumide Onabajo.
Onabajo said the party was disturbed by the persistent resort to litigation over matters that should be resolved through internal mechanisms.
He alleged that some individuals who recently defected to the ADC from other parties were behind the litigation, with possible sponsorship from outside interests afraid of the party’s growing strength in Ogun.
“ADC is too strong to be destroyed from within. It is troubling that almost every disagreement within the party appears to generate another lawsuit,” he said.
The party cited Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides that no court shall entertain jurisdiction over any suit pertaining to the internal affairs of a political party.
It added that Section 83(6)(b) prescribes a cost of not less than N10 million against the counsel who filed the action and N10 million against the plaintiff, plus costs incurred by INEC.
Onabajo said the warning had become necessary following recent court decisions where judges slammed heavy costs on parties and lawyers for frivolous political suits.
He referenced the Federal High Court dismissal of the suit by the Adolphus Wabara-led PDP Board of Trustees, where the court imposed N140 million in costs on the plaintiffs and N10 million on their counsel for abuse of court process.
Similarly, he cited the Federal High Court in Lagos’ dismissal of suit FHC/L/CS/1651/2024, where Justice Akintayo Aluko ordered a Senior Advocate to personally pay N2 million for filing a vexatious action.
He also cited the dismissal of Abejide’s suit challenging the Senator David Mark-led ADC leadership, where the court awarded N10 million in costs against the claimant’s counsel under the Electoral Act.
The Ogun ADC said it had confidence in the judiciary but urged courts to stop allowing political actors to weaponise the legal process against parties.
The party called on all aggrieved members to embrace dialogue and reconciliation, stressing that every unnecessary court action drains resources meant for mobilisation and election preparation.
“Enough of the litigation. Enough of the division. Enough of the distractions. It is time to build, reconcile and move ADC forward,” Onabajo said.
Ogun ADC alleges plot to destabilise party with litigation, warns members risk N20m fine