THE Supreme Court has ordered the return of the leadership dispute rocking the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) to the Federal High Court for determination.
In a unanimous ruling delivered on Thursday, the apex court set aside the Court of Appeal’s order directing parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
The court held that the matter must proceed at the trial court for full hearing and determination and frowned at the “unnecessary, improper and unwarranted” ante bellum order by the Appeal Court.
It also refused to entertain the appellant’s argument challenging the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal, ruling that the lower appellate court acted within its powers.
With the decision, the Supreme Court effectively restored the David Mark-led executive of the ADC, pending the outcome of the substantive case at the Federal High Court.
In the suit, Gombe asked the court to restrain Mark’s faction from parading itself as the party’s leadership and to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise him instead.
Upon hearing the matter, the Federal High Court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit, to prevent actions that could undermine the judicial process.
Following the earlier ante bellum order by the Court of Appeal, INEC had announced that it would not recognise any faction of the ADC. It proceeded to remove the names of Mark and his executives from its official portal, citing the need to comply with the court’s directive.
The Mark-led faction subsequently escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, again challenging the jurisdiction of the lower courts.
INEC decision effectively left the ADC without a recognised leadership at a crucial period in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
The development also sparked protests in Abuja, with party members accusing the electoral commission of bias and warning that the crisis threatened the party’s internal democracy. The ADC stalwarts led a protest to the INEC headquarters in Abuja, calling on its chairman, Joash Amupitan, to resign.
Despite INEC’s refusal to rescind on its decision, the Mark’s faction went ahead with its planned congresses and national convention, accusing INEC of bias and interference in its internal affairs.
However, a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, April 30, barred INEC from recognising or participating in any congress organised by the disputed caretaker leadership of the ADC.
The ICIR reports that today’s ruling came two days after the Mark’s faction wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, appealing for urgent and timely delivery of judgment in the pending case concerning the party’s leadership.
The faction, in a letter dated April 28, 2026, addressed to the CJN by its counsel, S.E. Aruwa, SAN & Co., said the unresolved appeal threatened its constitutional right to contest the 2027 polls and could leave it without recognised leadership.
NOTE: This report has been updated to reflect that the Supreme Court ruling returned David Mark as the ADC National chairman.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.