𝗔𝗗𝗖'𝘀 𝗙𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗧𝗼 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘆 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁

𝗕𝗬 𝗡𝗜𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗧𝗔 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗖𝗘,

𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚, 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the high-stakes leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following the conclusion of hearings in an appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark.

The appeal challenges the position of Nafiu Bala Gombe as party chairman. Proceedings were heard by a five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba, who announced that a ruling date would be communicated to all parties.

During the hearing, Mark’s counsel, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), urged the apex court to allow the appeal, arguing that the court had already settled the matter in a March 21, 2025 decision, which held that courts lack jurisdiction over internal affairs of political parties.

However, counsel to Gombe, Robert Emukpero (SAN), asked the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the judgment of the lower court, which ruled that Mark’s case was premature.

The dispute originates from a September 4, 2025 ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, who declined to grant interim reliefs sought in an ex-parte application filed by Gombe.

Subsequently, the Court of Appeal, in a decision delivered by a panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, dismissed Mark’s appeal, describing it as premature and filed without requisite leave. The appellate court further ordered that the matter be returned to the trial court for expedited hearing and directed all parties to maintain the status quo.

In response to the conflicting claims to party leadership, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew recognition from both factions on April 1, citing the subsisting Court of Appeal order. This move effectively left the ADC without a legally recognized leadership.

The leadership crisis, which began as an internal disagreement over party transition arrangements in mid-2025, has since escalated into a full-blown legal battle involving multiple courts and the electoral commission. Both factions continue to assert legitimacy, with Mark’s camp relying on National Executive Committee decisions, while Gombe’s camp insists the lower court rulings remain valid.

The outcome of the Supreme Court’s judgment is expected to be decisive for the party’s future, particularly as it prepares for the 2027 general elections. The ADC has recently attracted prominent political figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Kwankwaso, positioning itself as a major opposition platform.

With party primaries scheduled to run between April 23 and May 30 under INEC guidelines, the delay in resolving the leadership dispute has placed the party in a precarious position. Until the apex court delivers its verdict, the ADC remains unable to conduct official activities with regulatory backing, leaving its role in the emerging opposition coalition uncertain.