By Ayomide Otitoju
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has scheduled April 22 to hear an appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress executives led by David Mark over the party’s ongoing leadership dispute.
A five-member panel of the court, headed by Mohammed Garba, fixed the date after granting an application for accelerated hearing. The court also directed counsel to Mark, Jibril Okutepa, to file the appellant’s brief and serve it promptly, while ordering respondents to submit their briefs within three days of service. Any reply by the appellant is to be filed within one day.
The appeal challenges a March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld an earlier ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Emeka Nwite. The lower court had declined to grant injunctive reliefs sought in a suit filed by ADC chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is contesting the party’s leadership.
The dispute followed the emergence of Mark as chairman of the party in July 2025 after the resignation of the previous leadership led by Ralph Nwosu. Bala subsequently instituted legal action seeking recognition as national chairman.
While the case was pending, the Federal High Court ordered parties to maintain the status quo, a directive later reaffirmed by the Court of Appeal, which also instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to refrain from recognising any faction.
Following the ruling, INEC declined to recognise any leadership group within the party and removed the names of key officials, including Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, from its official records.
The Mark-led executives subsequently approached the Supreme Court, seeking to overturn the appellate court’s decision and resolve the leadership crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections.
