The Supreme Court of Nigeria has reserved judgment in the appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark regarding the ongoing leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A five-member panel, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, concluded the session on Wednesday after both parties presented their final written addresses.
Mark, who leads one faction of the ADC, is contesting a March 12 judgment from the Court of Appeal that mandated all parties maintain the status quo in the dispute.
In his appeal, Mark argued that the appellate court exceeded its jurisdiction, asserting that the crisis is an internal matter of the party that falls outside the purview of the courts.
The legal battle was initiated by aggrieved party members, headed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who question the legitimacy of Mark’s leadership.
Other respondents in the case include the ADC, its National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and former national chairman Ralph Nwosu.
Mark is seeking a court order to prevent INEC from recognizing any leadership other than his faction while the appeal is under consideration.
Conversely, the respondents have requested that the Supreme Court dismiss the appeal, maintaining that the lower court was right to handle the matter.
The controversy has led INEC to take regulatory action by removing the names of the competing leaders from its portal, asserting that it will not recognize any faction until a resolution is reached in the legal proceedings.
