The sitting in has dismissed an appeal filed by former Senate President, Sen David Mark, who currently serves as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in an ongoing legal dispute over the party’s leadership.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam ruled that the appeal was incompetent and unmeritorious. The case, marked CA/ABJ/CV/145/2026, arose from a leadership tussle within the ADC and sought to challenge an earlier decision of the Federal High Court delivered on September 4, 2025.
During proceedings, the respondent, , through his counsel (SAN), argued that Mark’s appeal raised issues that were not part of the original ruling at the lower court. The appellate panel upheld the objection and consequently struck out the appeal.
The court also awarded ₦2 million in costs against Mark and directed that the substantive suit pending before the be Federal High Court be given an accelerated hearing. To avoid further complications while the matter proceeds, the panel ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the final determination of the dispute.
Although the ruling represents a setback for David 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 structure are yet to be fully determined.
The dispute comes amid a series of legal battles within the party, including recent rulings by the dismissing suits filed by Dumebi Kachikwu and others challenging the Mark-led leadership on the grounds that such matters largely fall within the internal affairs of the party.
