Supreme Court Reserves Judgment In ADC Leadership Tussle
The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the leadership dispute threatening to fracture the African Democratic Congress, following heated legal arguments over whether courts possess jurisdiction to intervene in the internal affairs of a political party.
A five-member panel headed by Justice Mohammed Garba deferred its decision after hearing submissions from all parties in the appeal marked SC/CV/180/2026.
The appeal was filed by Senator David Mark, who leads a faction of the ADC backed by prominent opposition figures. Mark is seeking to overturn a March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which he argues exceeded its jurisdiction by ordering that the status quo ante bellum be maintained in a suit brought by aggrieved party members led by Nafiu-Bala Gombe.
Mark contends that the dispute concerns the domestic affairs of a political party, a realm in which Nigerian courts have consistently declined jurisdiction. His legal team, led by Mr. Jubril Okutepa, SAN, insisted during adoption of their brief that the matter is non-justiciable, citing established Supreme Court precedent.
The appellant is seeking, among other reliefs, an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising any individual other than himself and the current national officers pending the appeal’s determination. He also requested orders barring INEC from altering the party’s existing leadership structure and staying proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Respondents in the appeal include Gombe, the ADC, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, INEC, and the immediate past national chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu. While INEC filed no process either supporting or opposing the appeal, all other respondents urged the apex court to dismiss it for want of merit, maintaining that the trial court was properly seized of the facts.
The legal battle has already produced tangible consequences for the party’s operations. On April 1, INEC removed Mark and Aregbesola from its portal and website as ADC National Chairman and Secretary respectively, citing the Court of Appeal’s judgment. The electoral body indicated it would not recognise any of the warring factions until the legal dispute is conclusively resolved.
Despite INEC’s action, which the Mark-led faction has asked the Supreme Court to nullify, the ADC has vowed to proceed with its scheduled national convention.
At the Federal High Court, Justice Nwite on April 14 adjourned hearing of the substantive case sine die, stating that proceeding while a related matter pends before the Supreme Court would amount to what he termed “judicial rascality.”