INEC petitions court to avoid political interference as ADC leadership crisis reaches stalemate

INEC defends its recognition of David Mark's leadership in the ADC, asking the court to respect the party's internal affairs amid a factional standoff.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 8, 2026, 3:40 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Naija News

The Legal Boundary of Political Intervention

The Independent National Electoral Commission has taken a firm legal stance against judicial interference in the internal management of political parties. In an affidavit submitted to the Federal High Court, INEC official Jacob Ayuba argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to settle domestic disputes within a political organization. The commission maintains that a court of record should not involve itself in political questions that are the exclusive preserve of the parties themselves, particularly when the actions in question have already been executed and finalized.

A Disputed Transition of Power in Abuja

The crisis stems from a National Executive Committee meeting held on July 29, 2025, which saw a significant shift in the African Democratic Congress leadership. According to INEC monitoring reports, the party appointed former Senate President David Mark as interim national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary. While the commission initially updated its official records to reflect these changes, the move was immediately contested by Nafiu Bala, who maintains he is the legitimate acting national chairman and has sought to legally bar the Mark-led committee from office.

Appellate Court Mandates a Return to Status Quo

The leadership battle has been further complicated by a recent ruling from the Court of Appeal. On March 12, 2026, a three-member panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam dismissed an appeal from the Mark faction, ordering all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum. The appellate court clarified that the lower court had not yet issued a final verdict, and therefore, the rival groups must cease all leadership claims until the substantive case is fully resolved at the trial level.