The leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by David Mark has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the decision of Independent National Electoral Commission to derecognise its officials.
In a suit filed before Justice Emeka Nwite, Mark is seeking an order of mandatory injunction to set aside INEC’s refusal to monitor the party’s congresses and convention.
He also asked the court to compel INEC to immediately restore the names of members of the party’s National Working Committee, including himself as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, pending the determination of the suit.
INEC had on April 1 removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal, a move that triggered the legal action.
Mark’s lawyer, Sulaiman Usman, argued that the electoral body misinterpreted an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered on March 12. He said the appellate court had directed parties to maintain the “status quo ante bellum,” meaning the last uncontested leadership structure before the dispute.
According to him, as of September 2, 2025, Mark was the recognised National Chairman of the party, and the leadership structure was already in place. He contended that INEC’s actions created a vacuum and undermined the party’s internal administration.
The suit also seeks an order restraining INEC from recognising any rival leadership or interfering with the party’s structure pending the final resolution of the case.
In a separate application, Mark asked the court to grant accelerated hearing of the matter, citing its importance to democratic governance and political participation. He urged the court to abridge timelines for filings and hear the case on a day-to-day basis.
The dispute stems from an earlier suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the leadership of the party. Although the trial court declined to grant interim reliefs at the time, the Court of Appeal later directed parties to return to the lower court while maintaining the existing situation.
The ongoing legal battle has heightened uncertainty within the party, with concerns that the leadership dispute could affect its political activities and organisational stability.
