TDThe Court of Appeal in Abuja has dismissed an appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark, who currently serves as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in a protracted legal dispute over the party’s leadership.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, a three-member panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the appeal was incompetent and unmeritorious. The case, marked CA/ABJ/CV/145/2026, stemmed from a leadership tussle within the ADC and challenged an earlier decision of the Federal High Court delivered on September 4, 2025.
During proceedings, the respondent, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, represented by Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), argued that Mark’s appeal introduced issues not raised at the lower court. The appellate panel upheld the objection, stressing that appeals must strictly adhere to the scope of the original judgment, and consequently struck out the case.
In addition, the court awarded ₦2 million in costs against Mark and directed that the substantive suit pending at the Federal High Court be given an accelerated hearing. To prevent further complications while the matter proceeds, the panel ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending final determination of the dispute.
Although the ruling represents a setback for Mark at the appellate level, the underlying leadership contest within the ADC remains unresolved. The matter will now continue before the Federal High Court, where the core issues surrounding the party’s leadership are yet to be fully determined. Legal analysts note that the accelerated hearing directive signals the judiciary’s intent to bring clarity to the ADC’s leadership crisis, which has lingered for months and threatened the party’s internal cohesion.
The dispute comes amid a series of legal battles within the ADC, including recent Federal High Court rulings dismissing suits filed by Dumebi Kachikwu and others challenging the Mark-led leadership. In those rulings, the courts emphasized that such matters largely fall within the internal affairs of political parties, underscoring the judiciary’s reluctance to interfere in intra-party disputes unless clear violations of law or procedure are established.
Observers say the outcome of the Federal High Court’s accelerated hearing will be pivotal for the ADC, as it seeks to stabilize its leadership structure ahead of future political contests. For now, the party remains in a state of uncertainty, with its leadership question hanging in the balance.
