Courts Restricted From Entertaining Matters On Internal Affairs Of Political Parties – Katsina High Court Judge Rules

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

A Katsina State High Court sitting in Dutsinma, Dutsinma Local Council of the State has ruled to decline jurisdiction in a legal action involving parties in the festering leadership and internal crises bedeviling the  African Democratic Congress ADC.

The Source reports that the Honourable Justice AK Tukur had on April 7, 2026, in the wake of preparations for the  ADC Ward and Local Council Congresses, granted an interim injunction restraining a  faction loyal to the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee NEC from going ahead with the Congresses on the strength of an ex-parte application brought by the  faction-backed by Bala Nafiu Gombe 

However, the Court has not only reversed itself, but dismissed the motion on notice, citing Section 83 of the amended 2026 Electoral Act as a major reason.

In his ruling , Justice Tukur argued that the Court lacks the legal authority to interfere in issues bordering on the internal and leadership affairs of political parties going by the provisions of  Section 83 (5) of the Electoral Act ..

The motion was filed by Musa Usman Wamba ,the Katsina State Chapter Chairman of ADC, with respondents as Lawan Batagarawa, a former Minister of State for Defence, Babangida Ibrahim Mahuta, the ADC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC.