Nigeria’s apex court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, has reinstated the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark.
Newsonspot reports that in a unanimous judgment delivered by a five-member panel headed by Mohammed Lawal Garba, the court set aside the controversial “status quo ante bellum” order earlier issued by the Court of Appeal.
The apex court ruled that the Court of Appeal of Nigeria exceeded its jurisdiction by directing parties in the ADC leadership crisis to maintain the status quo after it had already dismissed the appeal before it. The justices described the order as unnecessary, unwarranted, and improper.
By voiding the appellate court’s directive, the Supreme Court effectively restored the David Mark-led leadership of the party, while allowing the substantive matter to continue at the Federal High Court.
Although the court upheld Mark’s appeal in part, it dismissed his challenge against an earlier ex parte order of the Federal High Court relating to the service of court processes filed by aggrieved party members.
The ruling also overturns the basis upon which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had, on April 1, removed David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the ADC’s National Chairman and Secretary from its official records.
INEC had previously maintained that it would not recognise any faction within the party pending the resolution of the legal dispute.
With this latest decision, all parties have been directed to return to the trial court for the continuation of proceedings, as the legal battle over the ADC’s leadership remains ongoing.
