Supreme Court to decide fate of ADC leadership dispute Tuesday
The supreme court has fixed April 14 for the hearing of an appeal filed by David Mark, national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in the ongoing dispute over the party’s leadership.
The appeal, marked SC/CV/180/2026, seeks an order staying the execution of the court of appeal judgment delivered on March 12.
Mark’s legal team, led by Realwan Okpanachi, also asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from altering the party’s current leadership structure pending the determination of the appeal.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the hearing notice was issued to all parties on Friday through the litigation department of the supreme court.
A federal high court in Abuja had earlier fixed the same date for the hearing of a related suit filed by Nafiu Bala, a former deputy national chairman, challenging Mark’s leadership of the party.
Bala, the ADC, Rauf Aregbesola, INEC, and party founder Ralph Nwosu are listed as respondents in the appeal.
The leadership crisis stems from competing claims within the party, with Bala insisting he never resigned as national vice-chairman and therefore should have assumed leadership following Nwosu’s exit as national chairman.
On April 1, INEC announced it would no longer recognise either of the factions led by Mark or Bala following its review of the court of appeal judgment, further deepening the dispute.
