High Court Voids David Mark’s ADC Congresses as Supreme Court Ruling Looms Today

Federal High Court voids ADC congresses led by David Mark, as the Supreme Court prepares to deliver a final verdict on the party's leadership crisis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 30, 2026, 10:02 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from LEADERSHIP Media Group

Judicial Intervention in Party Restructuring

The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress has reached a critical impasse following a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that dismantled recent internal reorganization efforts. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik nullified the state congresses initiated by the faction led by former Senate President David Mark, asserting that the proceedings violated both the Nigerian Constitution and the party’s own internal regulations. The court has specifically barred the Independent National Electoral Commission from validating any outcomes from these disputed exercises, effectively freezing the faction's efforts to consolidate power.

Constitutional Limits of Internal Autonomy

In her judgment, Justice Abdulmalik addressed the common defense that political parties possess absolute autonomy over their internal affairs. She clarified that while courts generally avoid interfering in party matters, judicial intervention is mandatory when there is a documented breach of statutory or constitutional provisions. The court found that the appointment of a special congress committee by the Mark-led leadership lacked any basis in the ADC constitution, rendering the subsequent state-level elections invalid and ultra vires.

Protection of Substantive Tenure Rights

The legal challenge, initiated by Norman Obinna and several state chairpersons, sought to protect the positions of elected state executives against interference from interim national bodies. The court upheld these claims, ruling that the tenure of existing state executive committees is guaranteed under democratic principles and must be allowed to run its full course. This decision effectively reinstates the authority of local party organs that the Mark-led faction had attempted to bypass through its restructuring initiatives.