The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear an appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, David Mark, seeking to halt the execution of a Court of Appeal judgment affecting the party’s leadership structure.
According to a hearing notice in appeal number SC/CV/180/2026, the apex court fixed April 14 for the hearing of Mark’s application for a stay of execution of the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal.
The appeal also seeks to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising any leadership other than the Mark-led executive pending the determination of the case.
The notice, issued by the Litigation Department of the Supreme Court, confirmed that all parties in the matter have been duly served.
Parallel court proceedings
The hearing date coincides with a related case before the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, raising the possibility of procedural adjournments in line with judicial hierarchy.
The respondents in the matter include Hon. Nafiu-Bala Gombe, the ADC, former Lagos Governor Rauf Aregbesola, INEC, and former ADC chairman Ralph Okey Nwosu.
Reliefs sought
In the motion filed through his counsel, Realwan Okpanachi, Mark is asking the apex court to:
Stay execution of the Court of Appeal judgment
Stop INEC from altering the party’s leadership structure
Preserve the current ADC national leadership pending appeal
Suspend further proceedings at the Federal High Court
His legal team argued that the appeal raises substantial questions of law and that failure to grant the application could render the appeal meaningless.
INEC action and dispute escalation
The crisis deepened after INEC reportedly removed Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal following the appellate court ruling.
In response, the ADC leadership filed further motions seeking restoration of their recognition and an accelerated hearing of the matter.
The leadership tussle stems from a suit filed by Hon. Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman, challenging the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership.
Gombe argued that the emergence of the current leadership structure violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
The case has moved through multiple judicial levels, with conflicting interpretations fueling ongoing factional tensions within the party.
The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to be pivotal in determining the legitimacy of the ADC’s current leadership and could significantly shape the party’s internal stability ahead of future elections.
Discover more from VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
