The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has approached the Court of Appeal to challenge the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led leadership of the party, warning the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against taking any action that could prejudice the pending appeal.
The party said it had filed a notice of appeal against the judgment delivered on November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, alongside an application seeking a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal.
The development was disclosed on Friday in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, who said INEC had been formally notified of the legal proceedings.
Shaibu said the application for a stay of execution was yet to be determined, urging the electoral commission not to proceed as though the pending legal challenge did not exist.
“The Commission must respect the judicial process and allow the appellate court to hear the case,” he said.
He warned that any consequential action by INEC before the appeal was heard could pre-empt the Court of Appeal and undermine the judicial resolution of the leadership dispute.
In a related development, the party’s solicitors, S. E. Aruwa, SAN & Co., wrote to the INEC chairman on November 6, formally notifying the commission of the appeal and the application for a stay of execution.
The lawyers urged INEC to suspend further action on the subject matter of the suit pending the determination of the appeal.
Despite the legal challenge, the ADC said its political activities and preparations for the 2027 general election would continue without interruption.
“This is not the end of the road. The ADC is taking every lawful step to defend its rights, and we will not be intimidated or distracted from that responsibility,” Shaibu said.
He called on party members and supporters to remain calm and confident, assuring them that the party would sustain its political mobilisation and engagement with Nigerians.
“Our campaigns continue without interruption. There is no stopping the affordability train or our mission to make life better for Nigerians,” he added.
Justice Lifu’s judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman for the North-East, who challenged the emergence of Mark and other members of the caretaker committee after the resignation of former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Bala had argued that he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership following Nwosu’s resignation.
The court ruled against the Mark-led leadership, nullifying the caretaker committee and its decisions, including those relating to the party’s process for selecting its 2027 presidential candidate.
The judgment also cast a shadow over the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.
Reacting to the ruling, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described it as an attempt to cripple the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to choose their leaders.
