By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will maintain the status quo in the ongoing leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following a judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal.
The electoral body said the decision followed a careful review of the appellate court’s ruling in the case involving David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe, as well as the subsisting suit currently before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, disclosed the commission’s position in a statement issued on April 1, 2026.
According to the commission, it had earlier received two separate letters dated March 16, 2026, from law firms representing opposing factions within the ADC. While Suleiman Usman SAN & Co., acting on behalf of some stakeholders in the party, cautioned the commission against recognising Gombe as Acting National Chairman while the matter remains before the Federal High Court, Summit Law Chambers, representing Gombe, urged INEC to enforce the Court of Appeal judgment.
The latter had requested the commission to withdraw recognition from David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary of the party, remove their names from the commission’s portal, and refrain from further dealings with them.
INEC also revealed that in another letter dated March 27, 2026, Summit Law Chambers accused the commission of disobeying the Court of Appeal’s directive by inviting the faction loyal to Mark to a meeting of political parties and monitoring what it described as a purported National Executive Committee meeting organised by the group.
However, the commission clarified that the Court of Appeal had dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by Mark and directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the determination of the substantive case before the Federal High Court. The appellate court also ordered an accelerated hearing of the case due to the electoral timetable and warned the parties against taking actions capable of prejudicing the matter before the trial court.
INEC further explained that the current National Working Committee of the ADC emerged from a National Executive Council meeting held on July 29, 2025, following the resignation of the party’s former leadership led by Ralph Okey Nwosu. Gombe, who served as Vice National Chairman, has maintained that he did not resign and therefore should assume leadership of the party in line with its constitution.
He subsequently instituted a suit at the Federal High Court on September 2, 2025, seeking an order restraining Mark’s group from presenting themselves as party leaders and asking the court to compel INEC to recognise him as Acting National Chairman.
The commission noted that the names of the National Working Committee led by Mark were uploaded to its portal on September 9, 2025, following a formal request submitted five days earlier.
After reviewing the court ruling and related legal processes, INEC said it resolved to maintain the situation as it existed before September 2, 2025, when the suit was filed, and would avoid taking any steps that could interfere with the proceedings before the Federal High Court.
Consequently, the commission declined the request to recognise Gombe as Acting National Chairman pending the court’s final determination. It also stated that it would not receive further correspondence from either faction regarding party affairs and would not monitor any meeting, congress or convention organised by any group within the party until the matter is resolved by the court.
As part of its decision to preserve the status quo, INEC said it would remove from its portal the names of the current National Working Committee members led by Mark.
The electoral commission reaffirmed its commitment to neutrality, impartiality and strict adherence to judicial directives, urging political parties and stakeholders to act responsibly in order not to disrupt preparations for the 2027 general elections.
