LAGOS, NIGERIA — Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has called out a representative of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for “bellicose and disrespectful” behavior during a live broadcast on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Friday night.
The heated exchange occurred during a discussion on the leadership crisis rocking the ADC, which has seen the party split into factions and entangled in a web of litigation.
The Legal Dispute
The confrontation was sparked by Effiong’s critique of the legal strategy adopted by the David Mark-led group within the party. Effiong argued that the group’s decision to appeal a court order to “show cause” was a tactical error that unnecessarily prolonged the crisis.
“It would have been better for the David Mark-led group to go before the Federal High Court to show cause why an injunction should not be granted, than appealing against the order to show cause,” Effiong stated. He noted that while the group has been busy traversing appellate courts, the substantive matter regarding who truly leads the party remains undecided, wasting “precious time.”
“Arrogant and Disrespectful”
According to Effiong, his professional opinion was met with a barrage of personal attacks rather than a legal counter-argument. Taking to social media shortly after the show, the lawyer expressed his shock at the conduct of the ADC representative.
“This man from ADC came on Channels TV tonight to insult me unprovoked for expressing my candid view,” Effiong wrote. He described his co-guest as “bellicose, arrogant, and disrespectful,” claiming the representative resorted to insults as soon as the legal critique was offered.
Party in Turmoil
The ADC has been mired in a leadership tussle involving factions led by Nafiu Bala Gombe and the David Mark-led executive. While the Supreme Court recently waded into the matter, setting aside certain appellate orders, the legal gymnastics have left the party’s internal structure in a state of flux just as the 2027 political realignment gathers steam.
Effiong’s comments highlight a growing frustration among legal observers who believe the “marathon of appeals” is being used to stall final resolutions on party leadership across the country.
As of Saturday morning, the ADC leadership has not officially commented on the conduct of its representative during the broadcast.
