The leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) intensified after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) removed the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official portal as national chairman and national secretary of the party.
The move, which followed the Court of Appeal’s judgment, prompted Mark to file a fresh motion before the Federal High Court on 7 April, seeking an order to compel INEC to restore their names.
He also requested an accelerated hearing, with the case fixed for 14 April by Justice Emeka Nwite.
The dispute originated from a suit filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.
Gombe argued that their appointments violated both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, and urged the court to stop them from parading themselves as national officers.
Although the Federal High Court had earlier declined to grant an ex parte order against the Mark-led leadership in September 2025, the matter escalated when the case reached the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court subsequently directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum and return to the trial court for determination of the substantive issues.
With both the Supreme Court and Federal High Court scheduled to hear related matters on the same day, attention is now focused on the apex court’s decision, which could determine the immediate future of the party’s leadership.
