The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by former Senate President, David Mark, over the lingering leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress.
The apex court also reserved its decisions to a date to be communicated to the lead counsels on all the sides, the leadership dispute at the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Mohammed Garba, adjourned the two cases for judgment after all parties had adopted their preliminary objections, opposition against the preliminary objection, cross-appeal and brief of arguments in the matter.
Mark, who is leading one of the factions of the ADC, is contesting the March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which directed all parties to maintain the status quo any bellum pending the resolution of the dispute.
Mark and his colleagues filed the appeal following the interpretation given to the preservatory order by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, who stated that the commission will no longer recognise any of the party’s factional leadership and subsequently deleted Mark’s name along with other members of his executive committee from the commission’s website.
In the appeal, the ex-Senate President argued that the appellate court and INEC overstepped their bounds, insisting that the matter was purely an internal party issue beyond judicial intervention.
The suit was instituted at the hearing court by aggrieved members of the party led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who are challenging the legitimacy of the leadership headed by Mark.
Other respondents in the case include the ADC, its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and a former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
After the parties had adopted their various briefs, the Supreme Court reserved a date for the judgment saying that it would get back to the lead counsels for all the disputants
In a similar development, the apex court equally reserved judgment to a date to be communicated, in the appeal filed by the Kabiru Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP), challenging the nullification of its 2025 national convention and national leadership led by Saminu Tutaki, SAN.
A five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba announced that a date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after counsels had adopted written briefs, including reply briefs.
The faction led by Turaki is seeking to overturn the March 9th, 2026 decision of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed earlier decision of a lower court invalidating the party’s Ibadan National convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025, which produced Tutaki and consequently, the Turaki-led executive committee.
The faction argued that the dispute falls within internal dispute of a political party and is therefore not justiciable, insisting that due process was followed in organising the convention.
In one of the decisions at the hearing lower court, Justice James Omotosho held that the party failed to conduct valid state congresses as required by law and its constitution, thereby invalidating the planned convention.
Before the convention held, Justice Peter Lifu of a concurrent court, had barred the party or any faction from proceeding with the convention until it allowed the former Governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, to participate in the national chairmanship race after finding he was unjustly excluded.
Chief Chris Uche, SAN, who argued for the appellants adopted his brief of arguments for the main issue and against the cross-appeal.
On his part, Mr. J. B. Saudi SAN, leading the team of lawyers in the side of the faction loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, argued against the appeal and also adopted his cross-appeal.
Other parties in the suit similarly adopted their brief of arguments, before the judgement date was reserved.
