The Supreme Court of Nigeria has postponed its ruling on the leadership conflict within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after former Senate President David Mark filed an appeal.
On Wednesday, a five-member panel led by Garba Mohammed announced the decision after both parties presented their final written arguments.
🚀 Don't Miss Out!
Latest jobs • Scholarships • Grants • Internships • Career tips
(Naija + worldwide) — delivered daily on our WhatsApp Channel.
Mark’s attorney, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), requested the court to uphold the appeal, contending that Nigerian courts do not have jurisdiction over disputes within political parties. He referenced a previous Supreme Court ruling from March 21, 2025, which affirmed that internal political party matters are not subject to judicial review.
Okutepa argued that the Federal High Court erred in claiming jurisdiction over the ADC leadership issue and requested the Supreme Court to overturn the previous lower court decisions.
PAY ATTENTION: Follow The Lagos Voice on WhatsApp channel for latest updates
🔔 OFFICIAL CHANGE OF NAME MADE EASY!
Avoid delays and rejection — let professionals handle your publication quickly and stress-free.
We help you publish your change of name in:
📰 Punch Newspaper
📰 Vanguard Newspaper
📰 Other Top National Newspapers
✨ Why Choose Us?
- ✔️ Quick turnaround (3 days)
- ✔️ Budget-friendly packages
- ✔️ Reliable & trusted service
In contrast, the respondent’s lawyer, Robert Emukpero (SAN), representing Nafiu Gombe, called for the dismissal of the appeal, asserting that Mark’s appeal was premature and backing the earlier Court of Appeal ruling.
A three-member panel from the Court of Appeal had previously dismissed Mark’s case, determining it was filed without the necessary approval from the trial court. The appellate court had also ordered an expedited hearing on the main case while instructing all parties to maintain the previous status.
As a result of this appellate decision, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) retracted its recognition of Mark’s leadership until the case is resolved.
Unsatisfied with this outcome, Mark escalated the matter to the Supreme Court, contesting both the jurisdiction ruling and the directive to retain the previous status.
After reviewing the arguments, Justice Mohammed stated that the decision has been reserved, with a date for the ruling to be announced later. The forthcoming judgment is anticipated to have major ramifications for leadership disputes within political parties and the overall understanding of judicial involvement in party matters.
