ADC Faction Petitions CJN for Swift Supreme Court Ruling on Leadership Crisis

The faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) aligned with former Senate President, David Mark, has formally written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, urging the prompt delivery of a pending Supreme Court judgment over the party’s lingering leadership dispute.

In the letter dated April 28, 2026, the group expressed concern that any delay in the ruling could jeopardise the party’s chances of participating in the 2027 general elections.

The Supreme Court had, last week, reserved judgment in an appeal filed by Mark, challenging earlier court decisions tied to the internal crisis within the party.

At the heart of the dispute is a tussle over the leadership of the ADC, with competing factions laying claim to the party’s structure. Mark’s camp is contesting a March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which directed parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum in a case initiated by aggrieved members.

The appeal, marked SC/CV/180/2026, argues that the appellate court overstepped its bounds by intervening in what it described as the internal affairs of a political party.

The case itself traces back to a September 4, 2025 judgment of the Federal High Court, which was challenged by Mark but later upheld by the Court of Appeal. The suit was instituted by Nafiu Bala, who claims to be the factional national chairman and is opposing what he described as a takeover of the party by the Mark-led group.

In the latest move, counsel to the Mark faction, Shaibu Enejoh Aruwa, warned that the absence of a timely decision from the apex court could have far-reaching political consequences.

According to the letter, the party risks being locked out of the 2027 electoral process if the situation is not urgently resolved.

The faction also drew attention to actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which it said had already acted on the lower court’s ruling by withdrawing recognition of the party’s leadership, leaving the ADC without a formally acknowledged structure.

The letter noted that preparations for the 2027 elections are already underway, citing INEC’s timetable and ongoing activities, which require political parties to meet certain statutory conditions within specified timelines.

It argued that the ADC’s ability to comply with these requirements depends largely on clarity regarding its leadership, which only the Supreme Court judgment can provide.

The faction further cautioned that failure to deliver judgment within a short timeframe could result in the party’s exclusion from the elections, effectively shutting out its members and supporters nationwide.

It maintained that such an outcome would deny millions of Nigerians the opportunity to contest elections under the party’s platform and infringe on their constitutional rights to political participation.

While acknowledging the workload of the apex court, the party urged the Chief Justice to intervene and ensure that the judgment is delivered without delay.

The faction described the situation as urgent, stressing that prolonged uncertainty could undermine the political future of the party and its members.

The leadership crisis within the ADC has persisted for months, with rival camps locked in legal battles over control of the party’s structure and direction.

With the Supreme Court now set to determine the dispute, attention has turned to the timing of the ruling and its potential implications for the party’s role in the next general elections.