The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has escalated, as its National Chairman, David Mark, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to overturn the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to derecognise the party’s leadership.
In a motion filed before Justice Emeka Nwite, Mark is asking the court to set aside INEC’s refusal to monitor the party’s congresses and convention, as well as its decision to remove the names of the ADC National Working Committee (NWC) from its official portal.
INEC had, on April 1, removed the names of Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary from its website, effectively withdrawing recognition of the party’s current leadership.
Through his counsel, Sulaiman Usman, SAN, Mark is seeking a mandatory injunction compelling INEC to immediately restore and maintain the names of all members of the ADC’s NWC pending the determination of the substantive suit. He also asked the court to restrain the electoral body from recognising any rival leadership or tampering with the party’s records.
The application follows a March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which directed all parties in the dispute to maintain the status quo ante bellum—the last uncontested state of affairs before the suit was instituted.
Mark’s legal team argued that as of September 2, 2025, when the case was filed, he remained the duly recognised National Chairman of the party, and that INEC’s subsequent action was based on a misinterpretation of the appellate court’s order.
According to the filing, INEC’s decision has created a leadership vacuum within the party, disrupted its internal administration, and hindered its participation in political activities.
“The law is settled that a mandatory injunction may be granted to restore a party to a position wrongfully altered,” the lawyer submitted, urging the court to exercise its equitable jurisdiction.
In a related motion, Mark also requested an accelerated hearing of the case, citing its far-reaching implications for democratic governance and political participation. He urged the court to abridge timelines for filings and conduct day-to-day proceedings until the matter is resolved.
The dispute originated from a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, challenging the legitimacy of the current leadership. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, lists the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, INEC, and former National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
Justice Nwite had earlier declined to grant an ex-parte application seeking to halt the Mark-led leadership, instead directing all parties to be put on notice. The Court of Appeal subsequently affirmed the lower court’s jurisdiction and ordered the maintenance of the existing status pending the determination of the suit.
With competing claims and legal battles intensifying, the outcome of the case is expected to shape the future leadership structure of the ADC and its role in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
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