Supreme Court of Nigeria don reserve judgment for one appeal wey former Senate President David Mark file concerning leadership wahala for inside African Democratic Congress (ADC). Five-member panel for apex court, wey Justice Mohammed Garba dey lead, don fix date for judgment after dem hear arguments from all parties for case on Tuesday.
Mark, wey dey lead one faction inside di party, dey challenge di March 12 judgment of Court of Appeal wey order parties make dem maintain status quo ante bellum for one suit wey aggrieved members of di party file. For di appeal wey dem mark as SC/CV/180/2026, di former senate president argue say appellate court exceed im jurisdiction by intervening for wetin he describe as internal affairs of political party.
Through im counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Jubril Okutepa, Mark maintain say disputes wey concern party leadership no be justiciable matter. He urge di court make dem set aside di judgment. Respondents for di suit include Nafiu Bala, ADC, Rauf Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Ralph Nwosu.
Among di reliefs wey Mark seek, he ask di court make dem restrain INEC from recognising any leadership wey no be from im faction pending when dem determine di appeal. He also pray di court make dem stop di electoral body from making changes to di party leadership structure and to stay proceedings for one related suit wey dey pending before Federal High Court for Abuja.
INEC no file any process to support or oppose di appeal, but oda respondents urge di apex court make dem dismiss di case. Di appeal come from one ruling wey Court of Appeal deliver on March 12, wey dismiss Mark appeal against September 4 ruling of Federal High Court.
For Federal High Court, Bala, wey be former deputy national chairman of ADC, don file suit mark as FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025. He seek to stop Mark-led leadership from parading demselves as national officers of ADC. Bala list ADC, Mark, Aregbesola as national secretary, INEC, and Ralph Nwosu as di party founder and former national chairman as defendants.
Bala maintain say he never resign im position as national vice-chairman. He argue say he suppose don assume leadership according to di party constitution after Nwosu exit as national chairman. He later declare imself as national chairman and vow to challenge Mark leadership for court.
For di suit wey he file on September 2, 2025, Bala dey seek order to restrain INEC from recognising Mark-led executives and to compel recognition of imself as acting national chairman. He also file motions to stop di party from holding meetings, congresses, or conventions pending when dem determine di suit.
Di motion ex parte dem hear am on September 4, 2025. Presiding judge Emeka Nwite direct say make dem put respondents, including INEC, on notice to show cause why di motion ex parte no suppose grant. Mark no satisfy with di interim ruling, so he file appeal to challenge jurisdiction of Federal High Court to continue to hear Bala suit.
But on March 12, 2026, Court of Appeal dismiss Mark case completely. Dem hold say di case no competent and no get merit. Court of Appeal direct parties make dem return to trial court and maintain status quo ante bellum pending when dem determine di suit.
On April 1, INEC announce say dem no go recognise di factions of ADC wey Mark or Bala dey lead again after dem review Court of Appeal judgement. Di commission also talk say dem go refrain from engaging with both groups or monitoring dia meetings, congresses, and conventions.
As response to INEC decision, Mark-led faction file motion ask di court make dem compel di commission to restore dia names and recognise dem as members of di party National Working Committee (NWC). Di faction also file appeal mark as SC/CV/180/2026 before Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, proceedings for Federal High Court don put on hold. Nwite adjourn di substantive suit indefinitely because of di pending appeal before Supreme Court. He talk say to continue with di matter while appeal dey subsist go amount to “judicial rascality”.
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