INEC Revises ADC Records After Apex Court Intervention
Nigeria’s electoral umpire has updated its official records to reflect a shift in the leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress, reinstating David Mark as National Chairman following a decisive intervention by the Supreme Court.
A review of the Independent National Electoral Commission database shows Mark now listed as chairman, alongside Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary. Other officials restored to the party’s National Working Committee include Mani Ahmad as National Treasurer, Akibu Dalhatu as National Financial Secretary, and Oserheimen Osunbor as National Legal Adviser.
The update marks a reversal from April, when INEC removed the names of these officials from its website in compliance with an order issued by the Court of Appeal. That move had triggered protests from the faction aligned with Mark and drew criticism from opposition figures, as the dispute over the party’s leadership deepened.
The legal battle centres on competing claims over the control and legitimacy of the ADC’s national structure, a conflict that has moved through multiple layers of Nigeria’s judicial system. At an earlier stage, the appellate court directed that the status quo ante bellum be maintained, effectively suspending recognition of the contested leadership pending further proceedings.
However, the Supreme Court, in a ruling delivered on Thursday, nullified that directive. The apex court held that the order preserving the previous status could not subsist after the conclusion of the relevant proceedings, describing its continuation as lacking legal basis.
The court also upheld the appeal filed by the Mark-led faction and ordered that the substantive suit instituted by aggrieved party member Nafiu Bala Gombe at the Federal High Court be heard expeditiously and determined on its merits.
INEC’s latest action reflects compliance with the Supreme Court’s position, restoring the contested officials to its official records while the underlying dispute remains unresolved.
Members of the Mark-led faction have described the development as a validation of due process and a step towards stabilising the party’s internal structure. Even so, the broader legal contest over the ADC’s leadership is still pending before the Federal High Court, meaning the question of legitimacy has not been finally settled.
The outcome of that case is expected to provide definitive clarity on the party’s leadership framework and could influence internal dynamics ahead of future political activities.