Supreme Court reserves judgment in ADC leadership tussle



By Efa Sunday


The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, challenging the jurisdiction of courts to intervene in the internal affairs of the party.


A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Garba Mohammed, announced this after counsel to the parties adopted their briefs of argument.


Arguing the appeal, counsel to Mark, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), urged the court to allow the appeal, maintaining that the issue had already been settled by the Supreme Court in its March 21, 2025 decision, which held that no court has jurisdiction over matters relating to the internal affairs of political parties.


He contended that the trial court lacked the competence to entertain the suit instituted by Nafiu Gombe against the ADC leadership.


In opposition, counsel to Gombe, Robert Emukpero (SAN), asked the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which ruled that Mark’s case was premature.


The appellate court had earlier dismissed Mark’s appeal against the jurisdiction of Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, describing it as incompetent and filed without the required leave.


It subsequently ordered that the matter be remitted to the trial court for accelerated hearing, directing all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.


Following that order, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew recognition of the Mark-led leadership pending the determination of the substantive suit.


Dissatisfied with the ruling, Mark approached the Supreme Court to challenge both the decision of the appellate court and the order enforcing the status quo.


After listening to arguments from both sides, Justice Mohammed stated that judgment had been reserved, with a date to be communicated to the parties.


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