The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear an appeal filed by former Senate President, David Mark, over the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Mark, who is currently embattled as the party’s National Chairman, is seeking an order to stay the execution of the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal.
According to a hearing notice issued by the apex court, the case—marked SC/CV/180/2026 between Mark and Nafiu-Bala Gombe alongside four others—is scheduled for April 14.
The notice, dispatched through the Supreme Court’s Litigation Department, indicates that the hearing will coincide with proceedings earlier fixed for the same date at the Federal High Court in Abuja. However, the lower court may adjourn its sitting in deference to the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction.
In his appeal, Mark listed Gombe, the ADC, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Ralph Nwosu as respondents.
Through his counsel, Realwan Okpanachi, Mark is asking the apex court to halt the enforcement of the appellate court’s ruling pending the determination of his appeal. He also seeks an order restraining INEC from recognising any individual other than himself and the current ADC national officers, as well as preventing any alteration to the party’s leadership structure.
Additionally, Mark is requesting a stay of further proceedings in the suit pending before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.
The appeal follows the Court of Appeal’s directive that parties maintain the status quo ante bellum, a decision Gombe has relied on to urge INEC not to recognise Mark and his leadership team.
Mark’s legal team argues that unless the Supreme Court intervenes, the Appeal Court’s judgment could be enforced, thereby rendering the appeal ineffective.
Meanwhile, INEC had, on April 1, removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official records as ADC National Chairman and National Secretary respectively, in compliance with the appellate court’s ruling.
In response, Mark approached the Federal High Court, seeking an order compelling INEC to restore their names and requesting an accelerated hearing of the case.
The crisis stems from a suit filed by Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman, who is challenging the legitimacy of Mark and Aregbesola’s emergence as party leaders, alleging violations of both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
With parallel proceedings at the Supreme Court and the Federal High Court, Tuesday’s hearing is expected to be pivotal in determining the leadership structure of the ADC and the role of INEC in recognising party officials.
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