Supreme Court Dismisses David Mark's ADC Leadership Stay

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court rejected David Mark's application for a stay of execution concerning the leadership of the Action Democratic Congress (ADC). The court's decision followed the withdrawal of the application by Mark's counsel, Jibril Okutekpa, SAN, who informed the five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had derecognized Mark's leadership based on a Court of Appeal decision from March 12, which deemed the party leaderless. Mark's legal team argued for an urgent injunction to maintain the status quo due to the leadership vacuum, especially with the 2027 general elections approaching.

The Supreme Court, acknowledging the time-sensitive nature of the matter, directed a fast-tracked process, including an abridged timeline for filing briefs. The appeal was set for April 22, 2026, as Mark sought to challenge INEC's removal of his name from the party's leadership records.