By:Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.

The Supreme Court of Nigeria has affirmed David Mark as the legitimate National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of worker’s day celebration.

In a unanimous ruling delivered on April 30, 2026 by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, the court held that the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal overstepped its authority. It faulted the appellate court for issuing an order after it had already dismissed a case brought before it by one of the party’s factions.

Describing the directive to maintain “status quo ante bellum” as inappropriate, the apex court said the order was merely preservatory and wrongly applied in the circumstances.

While the Supreme Court allowed Mark’s appeal in part, it dismissed his challenge against an earlier ex parte order of the Federal High Court concerning service of court processes filed by aggrieved party members.

The court ultimately directed all factions within the ADC to return to the trial court for continuation of the case.

The ruling comes shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew recognition of the ADC’s national executive council led by Mark, citing the earlier Court of Appeal judgment.

Meanwhile, The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed a Supreme Court ruling affirming David Mark as its National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, describing the judgment as a decisive validation of its leadership and a rebuke of the electoral body’s earlier stance.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the apex court’s decision confirmed that the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) move to de-recognise the Mark-led leadership was “fundamentally faulty.”

The ADC praised the unanimous ruling delivered by a five-member panel of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, noting that the judgment reinforces the supremacy of the rule of law and strengthens confidence in Nigeria’s judiciary.

According to the party, the verdict “lays to rest all contrived disputes and manufactured uncertainties,” affirming the legitimacy of its structures and leadership.

However, it cautioned that the ruling does not mark the end of challenges facing democratic institutions in the country.

The party alleged that events preceding the judgment revealed “a troubling pattern of interference and bad faith,” warning that opposition voices must remain vigilant against attempts to undermine democratic processes.

Reiterating its earlier stance, the ADC renewed its call for the resignation of the INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, arguing that the circumstances surrounding the dispute had compromised the perceived neutrality of the electoral body.

“The integrity required of the office has been called into question,” the statement said, adding that Nigeria’s democracy cannot afford an electoral umpire whose actions raise doubts about impartiality.

The party also urged INEC to immediately restore recognition of the Mark-led leadership across its official platforms and communication channels.

Calling on its members and democratic stakeholders nationwide to remain alert, the ADC stressed that safeguarding democracy requires sustained vigilance beyond courtroom victories.

“We will continue to stand firm, speak clearly, and act decisively in defense of democracy, justice, and the Nigerian people,” the statement concluded.