The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has called on the Supreme Court to deliver a prompt verdict in its ongoing leadership dispute to avoid being excluded from the forthcoming electoral process. In a letter dated April 28, 2026, ADC counsel warned Chief Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun that a delay beyond three days could prevent the party from submitting its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the May 10 deadline, effectively blocking party primaries and the nomination of candidates.
The dispute centers on a power struggle between 78-year-old National Chairman David Mark and his younger rival, Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, following a contested party convention on April 14 and a lower court ruling against Mark. The matter is now before the Supreme Court, which heard the appeal on April 22. INEC has already de-recognized Mark’s leadership amid the battle, intensifying the stakes for the party’s future.
The outcome carries significant weight for opposition strategies, especially after Peter Obi’s recent switch to the ADC and broader plans to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Some political analysts have speculated about possible motives behind the legal timing, though such claims remain unverified.
