David Mark-led ADC in Limbo as Court Nullifies State Congresses

A fresh frontier of trouble opened for the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from recognising any state congresses conducted by the party’s appointed committees.

The executive is awaiting the outcome of its case to the Supreme Court over INEC delisting and withholding recognition for the Mark-led leadership.

Today’s judgement was in respect of a suit filed on behalf of all State Chairmen and State Executive Committees of ADC.

Delivering judgement today Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the responsibility for conducting state congresses rested with the party’s state executive committees, not the national leadership.

The court further ruled that the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committees and State Executive Committees remains valid and subsisting, pending the conduct of properly constituted congresses and the convocation of a National Convention.

Justice Abdulmalik also held that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor the party constitution empowers the caretaker/interim National Working Committee, led by David Mark, to appoint committees to conduct state congresses.

The judgement is on the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026 filed by Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Hon. Olona Yinka, Dr. Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick as plaintiffs, suing for themselves and on behalf of all State Chairmen and State Executive Committees of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).