The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark over the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, fixed the matter for judgment after all parties adopted their final written addresses on Wednesday.
David Mark, who currently leads a faction of the party, is challenging a March 12 judgment from the Court of Appeal.
The lower court had previously ordered all parties to maintain the status quo while the leadership dispute was being heard.
However, the former Senate President argued in his appeal that the appellate court exceeded its jurisdiction.
He insisted that the leadership crisis is strictly an internal party affair, which courts usually lack the power to decide.
Backstory of the ADC Leadership Tussle
The legal battle began when aggrieved party members, led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, filed a suit contesting the legitimacy of Mark’s leadership.
David Mark previously served as Nigeria’s Senate President from 2007 to 2015 and is a veteran of the country’s political system.
Respondents in the appeal include the ADC, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, INEC, and former national chairman Ralph Nwosu.
Nwosu had served as the party’s chairman for several years before the current leadership vacuum started these legal proceedings.
Rauf Aregbesola, a former Minister and Governor of Osun State, a former ally of President Bola Tinubu, is now firmly with the opposition.
Regulatory Impact on ADC Operations
While the legal battle continues, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has taken regulatory action to ensure neutrality, in the way it sees it.
The commission has removed the names of all contending leaders from its official portal and declined to recognise any faction, but in doing so has drawn the ire of opposition figures who accuse it of trying to undermine the party and leaving the field with only the President as a viable contender.
Mark is seeking an order to restrain INEC from recognizing any leadership other than his faction until the court delivers its final word.
In contrast, the respondents urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal entirely, arguing that the lower court was properly seized of the matter.
The decision of the Supreme Court will determine the of the opposition and if it will even eventually contest in next year’s election.
If the Supreme Court fails to yield to Mr Mark’s request, serious presidential hopefuls like Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar will either have to find other parties to contest from or jettison their ambitions.
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