The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended recognition of Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following a recent Court of Appeal ruling and ongoing legal disputes over the party’s leadership.
The decision, announced on April 1, 2026, is linked to the judgment delivered on March 12 by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which ordered the preservation of the party’s structure as it existed before September 2025. As a result, INEC said it would no longer accept or process official documents from either the faction led by Senator Mark or the rival group loyal to Nafiu Bala Gombe until the matter is conclusively determined by the Federal High Court.
The Commission explained that its action is aimed at maintaining neutrality and ensuring compliance with judicial directives, particularly as the leadership dispute remains pending before the court. It emphasised that any recognition of either faction at this stage could prejudice the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.
INEC disclosed that it received conflicting legal communications from two law firms on March 16, 2026. While Suleiman Usman SAN & Co. advised the Commission against recognising Nafiu Bala Gombe due to the subsisting court case, Summit Law Chambers, representing Gombe, urged INEC to enforce the appellate court’s judgment by withdrawing recognition from Senator Mark and his leadership team.
Tensions surrounding the ADC crisis intensified following allegations by Summit Law Chambers that INEC had violated court orders by engaging with the Mark-led faction. The firm claimed that the Commission invited the group to a stakeholders’ meeting on March 24 and monitored its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held on March 25, actions it described as contrary to existing court directives.
The legal representatives further pressed for decisive action, including the invalidation of the NEC meeting organised by Senator Mark’s faction, removal of the group from INEC’s official records, and temporary recognition of Nafiu Bala Gombe as acting leader of the party pending the court’s final decision.
INEC, however, maintained that it is reviewing all submissions and court pronouncements, stressing that it will strictly adhere to the rule of law in handling the matter. The Commission reiterated its commitment to impartiality and due process, assuring stakeholders that it would not take steps that could undermine the judiciary.
Meanwhile, political tensions within the ADC have been heightened by recent developments in the opposition landscape, including the defection of Rabiu Kwankwaso from the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) on March 31. The ADC has alleged that elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are backing protests and internal disruptions in a bid to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Observers say INEC’s latest move underscores the complexity of the leadership crisis within the ADC, as rival factions continue to battle for legitimacy through legal channels. The final resolution of the dispute now rests with the Federal High Court, whose ruling is expected to determine the recognised leadership of the party going forward.
