Mark Faction Urges Swift Supreme Court Verdict on ADC Leadership Dispute

A critical juncture has been reached for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a faction, spearheaded by former Senate President David Mark, has formally appealed to the Chief Justice of Nigeria for an expedited Supreme Court ruling. The party is embroiled in a protracted leadership dispute, a situation that has led to the apex court reserving judgment on an appeal filed by Mark challenging a lower court's decision. The core of the contention lies in a March 12 Court of Appeal ruling that mandated the status quo ante bellum, a directive Mark argues overstepped the court's authority in internal party matters.

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My Lord, this appeal was graciously heard expeditiously on the 22nd April, 2026 and judgment was thereafter reserved to a date to be communicated by the court.

The legal battle traces back to a Federal High Court ruling in September 2025, which Mark contested. The Court of Appeal's subsequent March 12 judgment upheld the lower court's decision, further complicating the internal power struggle. The case was initiated by Nafiu Bala, a factional national chairman, who disputes the Mark-led group's assertion of control over the party's structure. This ongoing litigation has created significant uncertainty regarding the ADC's leadership and its ability to function effectively as a political entity.

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However, My Lord, we are most respectfully constrained to request for my Lord’s kind intervention and directive in ensuring that the judgment is rendered timeously, having regard that INEC, the 4th Respondent in the said Appeal, purportedly acting pursuant to the judgment of the lower court in “Appeal No: CA/ABJ/145/2026 acted to remove or de-recognize the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), leaving the ADC without leadership at the moment even though the ADC remains a recognized registered political party in Nigeria.

Crucially, the Mark faction, through its counsel Shaibu Enejoh Aruwa, has issued a stark warning: any further delay in the Supreme Court's decision poses a grave and potentially irreversible risk to the ADC's participation in the upcoming 2027 general elections. The faction argues that a delayed verdict could lead to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) de-recognizing the party's leadership, effectively barring the ADC from the electoral process. This, they contend, would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who wish to contest elections under the ADC platform, underscoring the urgency and national significance of a swift judicial resolution.

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My Lord, the ADC’s ability to comply with these statutory requirements to participate in the 2027 General Electi