NBA Chairman Backs ADC Protest at INEC, Calls It Lawful and Peaceful

By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka,Abuja

The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Nyanya/Karu branch in the Federal Capital Territory, Alex Ebi Edim, has described the recent protest by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in Abuja as lawful.

Edim stressed that the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution, noting that since the protest was non-violent and posed no threat to national peace and security, it cannot be considered unlawful. He stated that it was simply a civil means of expressing a message, with no legal or moral harm caused.
However, Edim raised concerns over INEC’s decision to delist the national executive council of the ADC led by David Mark. He argued that the commission misinterpreted the concept of maintaining the status quo as outlined in the Court of Appeal ruling. According to him, “status quo” refers to the present state of affairs, meaning no further actions should be taken from that point onward.
He further questioned what the situation was before the court order was issued and why the court did not explicitly remove the David Mark-led executive if that had been its intention. Edim concluded that the matter appears to be more political than legal, adding that he would refrain from making further comments as the case is still pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja and is therefore sub judice.
Edim’s remarks come amid an ongoing dispute between the ADC and INEC over the party’s leadership, with the David Mark-led national executive council contesting the commission’s decision to delist them.