S’Court reserves judgment in ADC leadership dispute

The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Wednesday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by former Senate President, David Mark, over the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed the matter for judgment after parties adopted their final written addresses.

Mark, who leads a faction of the party, is challenging the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which ordered parties to maintain the status quo in the dispute.

In his appeal, the former Senate President argued that the appellate court exceeded its jurisdiction and insisted that the crisis bordered on internal party affairs, which courts lack powers to adjudicate.

The suit was initiated by aggrieved party members led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is contesting the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership of the party.

Other respondents in the appeal include the ADC, its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and a former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu.

Mark is also seeking an order restraining INEC from recognising any leadership other than his faction, pending the determination of the appeal.

However, the respondents urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal, maintaining that the lower court was properly seized of the matter.

The dispute has already triggered regulatory action, with INEC removing the names of the contending leaders from its portal and declining to recognise any faction until the legal battle is resolved.

Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PidomNigeria with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.

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