Monday, June 15, 2026

The Sun Nigeria

Supreme Court vacates order directing ADC maintain status quo ante bellum

Supreme Court
  • Orders parties to return to Federal High Court 

 

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja

The Supreme Court has set aside the order made by the Abuja division of the Court of Appeal in ordering the maintenance of status quo ante bellum in the leadership dispute in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), upon which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acted in derecognising the David Mark-led leadership of the party.

In a unanimous judgment of a five-member panel, ordered parties to return to the Federal High Court for expeditious hearing of the case filed by an aggrieved chieftain of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging among others, the emergence of the Mark-led leadership of the party.

Justice Mohammed Garba, in the lead judgment, held that the Court of Appeal had no business making a preservative order in respect of a case that was pending before the trial court, having determined the interlocutory appeal brought before it by Mark against the September 4 interlocutory decision of Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court.

Details shortly…