The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has escalated, with the party approaching the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge actions taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regarding its leadership records.
The ADC, led by David Mark, is asking the court to compel INEC to reverse what it described as alterations to its National Working Committee (NWC) records on the commission’s official portal.
In a motion on notice filed before Emeka Nwite, the party is seeking a mandatory injunction to set aside INEC’s decision to remove names of its NWC members. It also challenged the commission’s alleged refusal to monitor the party’s congresses and convention.
The applicants further urged the court to order INEC to immediately restore and maintain the names of all ADC NWC members on its portal pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The motion, dated April 7 and filed by counsel to Mark, Sulaiman Usman (SAN), follows a March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal in a suit earlier instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe before the Federal High Court.
Among the reliefs sought are an order nullifying INEC’s decision to delist the party’s leadership and a directive compelling the commission to restore the names of David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and other members of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
The applicants are also seeking an injunction restraining INEC from further altering or interfering with the party’s leadership records pending the determination of the suit.
Arguing the case, counsel to the applicants maintained that the Court of Appeal had directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum—the last lawful and uncontested state before the dispute. He contended that INEC misinterpreted the ruling by removing the party’s leadership from its records, thereby creating what he described as a leadership vacuum and administrative uncertainty within the ADC.
The lawyer insisted that granting a mandatory injunction is essential to restore the party’s structure and prevent the case from being rendered nugatory.
In a separate application, the applicants also requested an accelerated hearing, urging the court to abridge filing timelines and hear the matter on a day-to-day basis.
Earlier, Emeka Nwite had declined an ex parte motion seeking to halt the Mark-led leadership, instead directing that all parties be put on notice.
The dispute originates from an internal leadership tussle involving Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, who challenged the emergence of the current leadership structure.
The case has been adjourned for further proceedings.
