The Supreme Court ruling on the leadership fight in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) party has elicited mixed reactions, with many not knowing what it means for David Mark and Nafiu Bala factions.
Below is a breakdown in plain terms:
1. What happened
The ADC has been split into two factions since mid-2025 — one led by former Senate President David Mark, and another led by someone named Bala. Both sides claim to be the legitimate leadership of the party. The dispute went to court after the Federal High Court in Abuja refused to grant an injunction stopping one faction in September 2025.
The Court of Appeal later dismissed Mark’s appeal and, on its own, ordered that both sides should maintain the status quo ante bellum — meaning “keep things as they were before the dispute.” Based on that order, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew recognition from both factions on April 1, 2026, saying it wouldn’t deal with either until the courts settle it. That’s left the ADC without an official leadership recognized by INEC.
2. What the Supreme Court decided on April 30, 2026
The Supreme Court didn’t decide who is the real ADC leader yet. Instead, it ruled on the procedure.
- It set aside the Court of Appeal’s “status quo” order. The Supreme Court said the Court of Appeal was wrong to make that preservative order on its own initiative without any party asking for it. That order was “unnecessary and improper” while the case is still pending at the Federal High Court.
- It sent the case back to the Federal High Court. The Supreme Court agreed with the Court of Appeal that the Federal High Court is the right place to first resolve the leadership dispute. So both factions now have to go back there.
- It confirmed the Supreme Court has jurisdiction. It rejected the argument that it couldn’t hear the appeal, citing Section 233 of the 1999 Constitution.
3. Why it matters
- For the ADC: The party remains in limbo. INEC still won’t recognize any faction until the Federal High Court gives a final ruling. Without recognized leadership, the ADC can’t formally participate in party activities or field candidates for 2027.
- For Mark’s faction: This is a procedural win. The “status quo” order that froze everything is gone, which could make it easier to argue their legitimacy based on their July 2025 NEC decisions and April 2026 convention.
- For Bala’s faction: The Supreme Court didn’t rule in their favor either. The real fight now shifts back to the Federal High Court.
4. The Bigger Picture
The Mark faction says it followed the ADC constitution and that NEC lawfully waived the two-year membership rule to allow coalition-building ahead of 2027. They also point to INEC’s initial recognition of them in September 2025 and their national convention on April 14, 2026 as proof of legitimacy.
The core issue now is that the ADC’s internal crisis is threatening its ability to function as a viable opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections. Until the Federal High Court settles it, INEC won’t engage with either side.
Conclusion: The Supreme Court didn’t pick a winner. It just cleared the procedural roadblock and told everyone to go back to the Federal High Court for a proper resolution.
