A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Oba Maduabuchi, has stated that the recent Supreme Court ruling involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) should not be a cause for celebration, stressing that no final determination has been made on the matter.
He made this known during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show, while reacting to the apex court’s judgment delivered on April 30.
The Supreme Court had set aside the Court of Appeal’s order which had barred the recognition of David Mark as the National Chairman of the ADC. In a unanimous decision, Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba held that the Court of Appeal exceeded its powers by making orders that were not requested by any of the parties involved.
Reacting to the development, Maduabuchi argued that the ADC should not have been at the Supreme Court in the first place, stating that there was no valid appeal from the Federal High Court.
He said the Court of Appeal acted beyond its jurisdiction by introducing orders not sought by the litigants.
According to him, “The ADC had no business at the Supreme Court. There was no appealable decision by the Federal High Court. The Court of Appeal overstepped its bounds by making an order no one sought.”
He further explained that when INEC acted on the earlier Court of Appeal decision by removing David Mark, it was done on legal grounds, adding that the directive was to maintain the status quo ante bellum, not simply the status quo.
