The Supreme Court has nullified the Court of Appeal’s directive to maintain the status quo ante bellum in the leadership dispute rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a decision that had earlier informed the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) move to withdraw recognition of the David Mark-led leadership.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel, the apex court ordered all parties involved in the dispute to return to the Federal High Court for an accelerated hearing of the suit filed by an aggrieved party chieftain, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Mohammed Garba ruled that the appellate court overstepped its bounds by issuing a preservative order on a matter still pending before the trial court, after it had already determined the interlocutory appeal brought by Mark against the September 4 ruling of Justice Emeka Nwite.
The Supreme Court held that Mark’s appeal succeeded in part but dismissed the aspect challenging the ex parte order granted by the Federal High Court for service of court processes in the suit initiated by aggrieved party members.
The apex court subsequently directed all factions to return to the trial court for continuation of proceedings.
Backstory
Earlier, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal had dismissed Mark’s appeal questioning the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to hear the case filed by Gombe over the ADC leadership crisis.
The appellate court described the appeal as premature and filed without the necessary leave of the trial court. It then ordered an expedited hearing of the case at the lower court and instructed parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
Following that directive, INEC withdrew recognition of the Mark-led leadership pending judicial determination of the party’s authentic leadership.
ADC reacts
Reacting to the Supreme Court verdict, the ADC described the ruling as a significant victory.
The party’s national spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the judgment “is a clear affirmation that our party, its structures, and its leadership under our National Chairman, Senator Mark, and our National Secretary, Ogbeni Aregbesola, are legitimate.”
“We commend the five-man panel of the Supreme Court, whose unanimous judgment has today done great credit to the judiciary in our country and our political system,” Abdullahi said.
Despite welcoming the ruling, the party cautioned against complacency, pointing to what it described as a “troubling pattern of interference, bad faith, and attempts to weaken opposition voices in Nigeria.”
“Let it be clearly stated: the ADC will not be intimidated, distracted, or silenced. We remain resolute in our mission to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative,” the spokesman added.
The party also urged its members, supporters, and stakeholders in Nigeria’s democracy to “remain vigilant” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
