The African Democratic Congress in Ogun State has urged its members to stop resorting to litigation over internal disagreements, saying the party’s growing strength could be undermined by prolonged legal battles.
The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Olumide Onabajo, made the call in a statement released on Sunday.
Onabajo said the party was concerned about what he described as the “disturbing and increasingly persistent resort to litigation” over issues that, according to him, could be resolved through the party’s internal dispute-resolution mechanisms.
He alleged that some individuals who recently joined the party from other political organisations might be attempting to create divisions within the ADC and prolong internal disputes through litigation.
The Publicity Secretary stated, “We are deeply concerned by allegations and emerging patterns suggesting that certain individuals who recently joined the ADC from other political parties may not have come with the genuine intention of strengthening the party, but rather to promote division, prolong internal disagreements and keep the party perpetually entangled in litigation,”
Onabajo said the ADC had become a formidable political force in Ogun State and warned that internal divisions could distract the party from its preparations for the forthcoming elections.
The party spokesman argued that disagreements within political parties should not automatically result in court actions, urging members to make greater use of dialogue and reconciliation.
He said, “The courts must never be converted into alternative meeting rooms for political parties. Neither should litigation become a political weapon for frustrating a party, destabilising its leadership, exhausting its resources or preventing it from concentrating on presenting credible candidates to the electorate.”
Onabajo also cited Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, which he said restricts the jurisdiction of courts over matters relating to the internal affairs of political parties, subject to the qualifications contained in the law.
He further referred to Section 83(6)(b), saying the provision prescribes financial penalties in certain circumstances where actions are filed contrary to the restriction.
The ADC state spokesman said, “Our appeal is therefore not an attempt to prevent anyone from exercising a lawful right of access to justice. Rather, we urge party members to stop converting every political disagreement into litigation, particularly where internal reconciliation mechanisms can resolve the dispute.”
He urged the judiciary to carefully examine disputes involving political parties to determine whether they were genuinely justiciable or merely internal political disagreements presented as legal disputes.
The party has therefore appealed to its leaders, aspirants, stakeholders and members in Ogun State to embrace reconciliation and dialogue.
According to Onabajo, differences of opinion and competing political ambitions were normal in a democratic organisation but should not degenerate into permanent conflicts.
“There will be disagreements. There will be competing ambitions. There will be differences of opinion. These are normal features of democratic politics.But disagreements must not become permanent wars,” he said
While calling for reconciliation, Onabajo said that “To every leader, aspirant, stakeholder and member of the African Democratic Congress in Ogun State, our message is simple are members of one political family.
“We therefore appeal to all members who have grievances to embrace dialogue, reconciliation and the internal dispute-resolution mechanisms of our party before contemplating litigation.Let us sit together.Let us talk.Let us reconcile.Let us forgive one another where necessary.Let us place the ADC above individual ambition”.
He added that the leadership of the party would continue to welcome genuine members from other political parties, saying that ADC remained an inclusive political platform open to Nigerians who believed in the party’s vision, but that membership of the party must never become a licence to destabilise it from within.
Onabajo said those who genuinely believed in the ADC must understand that every unnecessary court action consumed the party’s time, resources and energy that should instead be devoted to mobilisation, organisation, policy development and preparation ahead of the 2027 elections.
