Senator David Mark, through the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) he leads, has filed a motion at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking to reverse the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) decision to de-recognize his administration. On April 1, INEC removed the names of Mark, as National Chairman, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, from its official portal, citing a Court of Appeal ruling. The electoral body acted after a suit by Nafiu Bala Gombe, an aggrieved member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who claimed leadership of the ADC and sought an injunction to stop INEC from recognizing Mark's leadership. Justice Emeka Nwite dismissed Gombe's ex parte application and ordered him to serve notice on all defendants.
Mark's legal team, led by Sulaiman Usman, SAN, filed a motion on April 7 challenging INEC's action. The motion seeks a mandatory injunction to restore the names of the ADC's National Working Committee, including Mark and Aregbesola, to INEC's records. It argues that the "status quo ante bellum" refers to the last lawful state of affairs—September 2, 2025—when Mark was officially recognized. The ADC leadership claims INEC's withdrawal violates this principle. Another motion seeks an accelerated hearing, aligning with the Court of Appeal's directive for expeditious proceedings.
David Mark's return to the courtroom to reclaim institutional recognition exposes the fragility of party structures built around political heavyweights rather than democratic processes. The fact that his recognition as ADC National Chairman hinges on a technical interpretation of "status quo ante bellum" reveals how deeply personality-driven Nigerian politics has become—where legal outcomes are less about party growth and more about preserving the influence of big names.
The dispute originated not from internal party elections but from a claim by Nafiu Bala Gombe, an APC member with no prior leadership role in the ADC, raising questions about the motives behind the challenge. INEC's swift de-recognition of Mark's leadership following a preliminary appellate ruling—before final judgment—suggests a pattern of regulatory overreach or inconsistency in how the commission handles intra-party conflicts. The fact that the Court of Appeal already dismissed the initial appeal for being premature, yet INEC acted decisively, underscores a troubling disconnect between judicial guidance and electoral administration.
Ordinary ADC members and supporters are the unseen casualties in this legal tug-of-war. Their party's public image is reduced to courtroom filings and jurisdictional disputes, weakening its credibility ahead of future elections. Without a clear, legally recognized leadership, grassroots mobilization, funding, and candidate nominations all hang in the balance.
This episode fits a broader trend: Nigerian political parties increasingly resemble private estates contested by elites, with INEC often caught between enforcing rules and enabling power grabs. When institutional stability depends on the presence of former Senate Presidents rather than functional constitutions, the system fails not just the party—but the voter.
