Nafiu Bala, David Mark
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in a case seeking to determine the legitimate leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The apex court, acting in line with timelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for electoral preparations, had earlier ordered an accelerated hearing of leadership disputes affecting several political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and ADC.
On Wednesday, the Court heard arguments in the ongoing leadership crisis within the ADC.
Court documents show that the case, marked SC/CV/180/2026, pits a faction aligned with former Senate President David Mark against another led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, in a dispute that has deepened uncertainty within the party ahead of expected political realignments.
Also present at the proceedings was the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.
The Supreme Court is expected to decide whether to uphold or overturn earlier rulings that questioned Mark’s leadership, including decisions that led INEC to remove officials aligned with his faction from its official records.
The dispute comes amid weeks of escalating tension within the party. SaharaReporters had earlier reported that a planned national convention organised by the Bala-led faction in Abuja collapsed, as the venue was left empty with no delegates or party officials in attendance.
This development raised questions about the faction’s organisational strength and legitimacy.
Counsel to the party, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), had previously disclosed that the apex court granted accelerated hearing on the matter, directing parties to file briefs within strict timelines.
According to him, the appeal by Mark seeks, among other reliefs, a stay of execution of the Court of Appeal judgment and an order restraining INEC from acting on it pending final determination.
“Well, the issue before the court fundamentally is whether this is a matter the court can even adjudicate on,” Okutepa had said, hinting at the constitutional questions embedded in the dispute.
