Supreme Court Reserves Judgment on ADC Leadership Appeal

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court of Nigeria reserved judgment on an appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to intervene in the internal affairs of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). A five-member panel led by Justice Garba Mohammed announced the decision after counsel representing the parties adopted their final written arguments.

Counsel Jibrin Okutepa, representing Mark, argued that the matter had already been settled by a previous Supreme Court decision delivered on March 21, 2025, which held that the court lacked jurisdiction over internal party affairs. He urged the court to allow the appeal and declare that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to hear the suit.

In response, counsel Robert Emukpero, representing Nafiu Gomb, urged the court to dismiss the appeal, insisting that the lower court acted properly and that the case was premature. The appeal panel dismissed Mark's appeal on the grounds that it was filed without leave from the trial court, rendering it incompetent.

The court ordered the matter to return to the trial court for accelerated hearing while maintaining the status quo, following the Independent National Electoral Commission's withdrawal of recognition of the ADC leadership led by Mark pending the final determination of the case.