The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in an appeal filed by David Mark over the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A five-member panel led by Mohammed Garba fixed a date for judgment after hearing arguments from all parties involved.
Mark, who heads one faction of the party, is challenging a March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the dispute.
Through his lawyer, Jubril Okutepa, he argued that the appellate court overstepped its jurisdiction by interfering in what he described as the internal affairs of a political party, insisting such matters are not for the courts to decide.
The respondents in the case include Nafiu Bala, the ADC, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Ralph Nwosu, the party’s founder.
Mark is asking the apex court to stop INEC from recognising any leadership outside his faction and to halt any changes to the party’s leadership structure until the case is determined. He also wants proceedings in a related suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja to be suspended.
The dispute began after Bala, a former deputy national chairman, claimed he never resigned and should automatically assume leadership following Nwosu’s exit. He subsequently declared himself chairman and challenged Mark’s leadership in court.
Earlier rulings by the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal went against Mark, with the appellate court dismissing his case and ordering parties to return to the lower court while maintaining the status quo.
Following the appellate decision, INEC announced it would no longer recognise either faction of the ADC and would suspend engagement with both groups pending resolution of the crisis.
Meanwhile, proceedings at the Federal High Court have been put on hold, as the court awaits the Supreme Court’s final decision on the matter.
