The David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic
Congress (ADC) has written a letter to the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) to
seek for timely delivery of the supreme court judgment on the disputes
involving the party.
Last Tuesday, the supreme court reserved judgment in an
appeal filed by Mark over the leadership tussle in ADC.
Mark, who is leading a faction within the party, is
challenging the March 12 judgment of the court of appeal, which ordered parties
to maintain the status quo ante bellum in a suit instituted by aggrieved
members of the party.
In the appeal marked SC/CV/180/2026, the former senate
president argued that the appellate court exceeded its jurisdiction by
intervening in what he described as the internal affairs of a political party.
The appeal stems from a ruling delivered by the court of
appeal delivered on March 12, which dismissed Mark’s appeal against a September
4, 2025 ruling of the federal high court.
The suit at the federal high court was filed by Nafiu Bala,
a factional national chairman, who is challenging the take over of the ADC by
the Mark-led faction.
‘TO FORESTALL IMPENDING IRREPARABLE HARM’
In a letter dated April 28, 2026 and signed by Shaibu Enejoh
Aruwa, ADC counsel, the Mark-led faction said if the judgment of the apex court
is not delivered within the next three days, the ADC “stands the grave and
irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 General
Election”.
The Mark-led faction said the development would deny the
constitutional right of millions of Nigerians to contest the elections under
the platform of the party.
“My Lord, this appeal was graciously heard expeditiously on
the 22nd April, 2026 and judgment was thereafter reserved to a date to be
communicated by the court,” the letter reads.
“However, My Lord, we are most respectfully constrained to
request for my Lord’s kind intervention and directive in ensuring that the
judgment is rendered timeously having regard that INEC the 4th Respondent in
the said Appeal purportedly, acting pursuant to the judgment of the lower court
in
“Appeal No: CA/ABJ/145/2026 acted to remove or de-recognize
the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaving the ADC without
leadership at the moment even though the ADC remains a recognized registered
political party in Nigeria.
“My Lord, we also respectfully draw Your Lordship’s
attention to the INEC Timetable for the 2027 General Elections and the
activities in readiness which have already commenced.
“Your Lordship’s would find attached copies of the INEC
Press Release de-recognizing the leadership of ADC and the Revised INEC
Timetable for the 2027 General Elections.
“My Lord, the ADC’s ability to comply with these statutory
requirements to participate in the 2027 General Elections is wholly dependent
on the timely delivery of the judgment in the instant Appeal.
“Without the delivery of judgment within the next three days
from the date of this letter, the ADC stands the grave and irreversible risk of
being excluded from participating in the 2027 General Elections.
“This would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have
subscribed to the ideals of the ADC and deny them their constitutional right to
freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their
choice.
“My Lord, we are mindful of the enormous responsibilities
and workload of this Honourable Court. We are equally aware that justice
delayed, in this peculiar circumstance, would amount to justice denied. The
entire political future of our client and the legitimate expectations of its
members nationwide now hangs in the balance.”
By
TheTimes Nigeria
