Legal battle over ADC leadership reaches climax as David Mark heads to Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria is set to hear an appeal on Tuesday, April 14, 2026, filed by Senator David Mark, the embattled National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Mark is seeking an order to stay the execution of the March 12 judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal. According to a hearing notice in appeal number SC/CV/180/2026, the case—between Mark and Nafiu-Bala Gombe alongside four others—has been scheduled for hearing on that date.
The notice, issued through the court’s Litigation Department and seen in Abuja, indicates that the Supreme Court hearing coincides with proceedings earlier fixed before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court. However, the lower court may adjourn or step down its matter in recognition of the apex court’s authority.
In the appeal, Mark listed Gombe, the ADC, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Ralph Nwosu as respondents.
Through his lawyer, Realwan Okpanachi, Mark is asking the court to halt enforcement of the appellate court’s judgment pending the determination of his appeal. He also requested an order restraining INEC from recognising any other individuals as national officers of the ADC aside from himself and the current leadership.
Additionally, Mark urged the court to stop INEC from altering the party’s leadership structure and to suspend further proceedings in the ongoing case before the Federal High Court until the Supreme Court resolves the appeal.
The application, backed by 12 grounds, argues that the Court of Appeal had ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum. However, Mark’s legal team contends that Gombe has relied on that order to push INEC into refusing to recognise the existing ADC leadership.
Okpanachi maintained that Mark’s appeal raises substantial legal issues and warned that failure to grant the application could render the appeal ineffective.
Meanwhile, INEC had on April 1 removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal as ADC National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, following the appellate court ruling.
Reacting, Mark approached the Federal High Court through another counsel, Sulaiman Usman (SAN), seeking an order to compel INEC to restore their names pending the determination of the case. The court had fixed April 14 for hearing.
The dispute originated from a suit filed by Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders, alleging violations of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Earlier, Justice Nwite had declined an ex-parte request to stop the Mark-led leadership, instead directing that all parties be put on notice. The matter was adjourned for further proceedings.
Subsequently, the Mark-led ADC approached the Court of Appeal, contesting the lower court’s jurisdiction. The appellate court, however, directed parties to return to the trial court while maintaining the status quo pending determination of the case.