The Supreme Court yesterday reserved judgement in the appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, challenging the jurisdiction of court to intervene in the internal affairs of the party.
A five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Garba Mohammed reserved its verdict shortly after lawyers representing parties adopted their briefs of argument for and against the appeal.
Counsel to David Mark, Jibrin Okutepa (SAN), urged the court to allow the appeal, submitting that the apex court had in a judgment on March 21, 2025 put an end to the issue before the court when it held that “no court has jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on internal affairs of political parties.”
Okutepa, therefore, urged the apex court to allow the appeal and hold that the Abuja Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit bordering on the ADC’s internal matters.
Robert Emukpero (SAN), who represented the1st respondent, Nafiu Gombe however, urged the apex court to reject the appeal and affirm the judgment of the lower court, which held that the case of the appellant was premature and dismissed it.
It will be recalled that a three-member panel of the appellate court had dismissed Mark’s appeal, challenging the jurisdiction of the Abuja Federal High Court presided by Justice Emeka Nwite, to entertain the suit filed by Bala against the leadership of the ADC. The appellate court in its decision held that the appeal was not only premature but was brought without leave of the trial court.
The appellate court subsequently ordered that the matter be returned to the trial court for expeditious hearing, adding that parties should maintain status quo. Following the order for status quo, the electoral umpire subsequently derecognised the ADC leadership headed by Mark, pending the resolution of the matter by the court.
Dissatisfied, Mark approached the Supreme Court to challenge the ruling of the appellate court as well as an order staying the order for maintenance of status quo. Rather than taking the motions filed in the appeal, the apex court directed parties to file their briefs for and against the appeal. After taking arguments from the parties, Justice Garba announced that judgement is reserved to a date that would be communicated to parties.
And in another development, the apex court also yesterday reserved judgment in the appeal filed by the Kabiru Tanimu Turakiled faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the nullification of its 2025 National Convention. A five-member panel led by Justice Lawal Garba announced that a date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after counsel adopted their final written addresses.
The Turaki faction is seeking to overturn the March 9 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which affirmed earlier decisions invalidating the party’s Ibadan convention held on November 15 and 16, 2025. At the apex court, the faction argued that the dispute falls within internal party affairs and is, therefore, not justiciable, insisting that due process was followed in organising the convention.
However, lower courts had consistently ruled against the group, nullifying the exercise, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its outcome and issuing orders affecting access to the party’s National Secretariat.
