The Supreme Court of Nigeria on Wednesday reserved judgment in the protracted leadership dispute rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a case that continues to generate political tension ahead of future electoral contests.
A five-member panel of the apex court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba, announced the decision after listening to final arguments from all parties involved in the matter.
The appeal, filed by former Senate President David Mark, challenges a March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal which had ordered all parties to maintain the “status quo ante bellum” in the internal leadership struggle.
Mark, who leads one of the rival factions, is also asking the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any leadership outside his camp until the dispute is resolved.
In his arguments before the court, Mark’s legal team insisted that the appellate court “exceeded its jurisdiction” by intervening in what they described as the internal affairs of a political party, a position that has become a central issue in the case.
The dispute originated from a suit filed by party member Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is challenging the legitimacy of the current leadership structure of the ADC, with multiple factions laying claim to control of the party.
Respondents in the case include the ADC itself, INEC, the National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, and former party officials, all of whom have urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal and uphold earlier rulings.
INEC had earlier distanced itself from the controversy, reportedly removing disputed names from its records pending judicial resolution of the crisis, a move that further intensified internal divisions within the party.
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 court is expected to communicate a date for judgment in due course.
