WorldStage– Senator David Mark has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to fast-track the Supreme Court’s judgment on the leadership case of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The legal team of the party had earlier sounded alarm that if a verdict is not delivered within the next three days, the party faces a “grave and irreversible risk” of being excluded from the 2027 General Elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had removed David Mark (National Chairman) and Rauf Aregbesola (National Secretary) from its portal on April 1, following a lower court order to maintain the “status quo ante bellum.”
A five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba reserved judgment on April 22, 2026, after hearing the appeal (SC/CV/180/2026).
Under the Electoral Act 2026, parties must submit a valid membership register to INEC by May 10, 2026, to conduct valid primaries, and without a recognized leadership, the ADC cannot legally fulfill this requirement.
The crisis stems from a challenge by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who claims Mark was illegally appointed following the resignation of former chairman Ralph Okey Nwosu.
The Mark-led faction argued that continued delay disenfranchises millions of Nigerians and could lead to a total shutdown of the party’s electoral activities.
INEC’s schedule mandates that party primaries be conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
Analysts note this case is pivotal for the stability of Nigeria’s opposition coalition, as the ADC is currently viewed as leaderless in the eyes of the electoral umpire.
