The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22 to hear an appeal stemming from the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while striking out an application seeking to halt execution of an earlier judgment.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, adjourned the matter and ordered the faction aligned with David Mark to file and serve all relevant processes within 24 hours.The court directed respondents to submit their replies within three days of service, while the appellants were given one day to respond, insisting that all filings must be completed by April 20 to pave the way for a speedy hearing.
At the proceedings, counsel to the Mark-led faction, Jubril Okutepa (SAN), withdrew a motion for stay of execution of the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal, which had ordered parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
The apex court subsequently struck out the application.Okutepa explained that the motion had become unnecessary following the court’s decision to fast-track the appeal.
Justice Garba noted that the court was ready to proceed with the hearing immediately if parties had complied with filing requirements, stressing that priority would be placed on resolving the substantive dispute rather than interlocutory issues.
The Mark-led faction is challenging the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, arguing that it was delivered without jurisdiction and amounted to interference in the internal affairs of the party.
The case originated from a suit filed by aggrieved members led by Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Other respondents in the matter include the ADC, its National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the party’s immediate past National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Among the reliefs sought, the appellants are asking the court to restrain INEC from recognising any leadership outside the existing national officers under the Mark faction, pending the determination of the appeal.
They are also seeking an order to stop the commission from altering the party’s leadership structure, as well as to halt proceedings in a related suit before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The crisis deepened after INEC, on April 1, removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal as the party’s National Chairman and Secretary, respectively, citing the appellate court’s directive.
While INEC maintained that it would not recognise any faction until the dispute is resolved, the ADC leadership has insisted it will go ahead with its planned national convention.
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