SUPREME COURT REAFFIRMS DAVID MARK AS ADC NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, OVERTURNS APPELLATE DIRECTIVE

​By Bassey Williams, Wisdom Tide News | Abuja | April 30, 2026

​The Supreme Court of Nigeria has delivered a definitive judgment affirming David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a ruling widely regarded as a pivotal legal precedent ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a unanimous decision rendered on Thursday, a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba set aside previous directives from the Court of Appeal, citing jurisdictional overreach. The apex court found that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal erred by issuing a unilateral order to maintain the status quo ante bellum after it had already dismissed the substantive appeal brought before it by an opposing faction.

​The justices characterized the appellate court’s directive as a "preservatory order wrongly made," emphasizing that judicial interventions must remain strictly within the bounds of established jurisdiction. While the Supreme Court upheld the aspect of David Mark’s appeal regarding party leadership, it dismissed his challenge against an ex parte order previously issued by the Federal High Court concerning the service of legal processes. Consequently, the apex court has mandated all involved factions to return to the trial court for the continuation of the substantive hearing.

​This judgment effectively reverses the recent administrative stance of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which had derecognized the Mark-led executive following the now-quashed appellate ruling. The decision restores the leadership hierarchy of the ADC and provides a clearer legal framework for internal party governance as the nation’s political landscape shifts toward the next electoral cycle.