Ajulo warns politicians against flouting due process, backs court ruling on ADC

By Boye Oyeyemi

The Ondo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo, SAN, has warned political parties against circumventing due process when selecting their executive officers, insisting that democracy cannot be hurried to serve personal interests.

He made this declaration in response to the judgment of Justice Peter Lifu, which nullified the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress and invalidated decisions taken under its authority, including the party’s presidential primary that reportedly produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its 2027 candidate.

Describing the judicial ruling as a decisive setback for political impunity, the attorney-general stressed in a statement that political parties must operate within the strict provisions of the Constitution and relevant electoral laws rather than being treated as personal estates.

To reinforce his stance, he cited Sections 223(1)(a) and 40 of the 1999 Constitution alongside Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act 2022, arguing that these provisions strictly guarantee internal democracy and mandate clear procedures for party congresses, conventions, and executive elections.

Furthermore, Ajulo referenced prominent Supreme Court precedents—including Onuoha v. Okafor, Amaechi v. INEC, Lau v. PDP, and Shinkafi v. Yari —to demonstrate that Nigeria’s highest court has consistently required political entities to comply with their own constitutions.

Criticising the practice of hastily assembling party structures without adherence to established rules, he colourfully remarked that democracy is not instant noodles and leadership cannot simply be assembled in a political kitchen to serve as legitimacy.

While acknowledging that the ADC retains the full right to challenge the judgment at the appellate courts, the legal practitioner cautioned that lodging an appeal should never be misinterpreted as permission to disregard constitutional requirements governing party administration.

Ajulo, who also chairs the Legal Matters Committee of the Ondo State APC Presidential Campaign Council, maintained that his intervention was anchored purely on sound constitutional principles rather than partisan considerations, underscoring that no individual or political organisation is above the law.