The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the names of the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from its portal and suspended recognition of all rival factions in the party pending the determination of an ongoing leadership suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a statement on Tuesday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC said the decision followed its review of the Court of Appeal judgment in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026: Senator David Mark v Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe & Ors, as well as court processes filed in the substantive suit before the Federal High Court.
The Commission said it was acting in line with the Court of Appeal’s directive that parties must maintain the status quo ante bellum and avoid any action capable of prejudicing the pending case.
INEC disclosed that it had received conflicting legal demands from solicitors representing both the Senator David Mark group and Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe over who should be recognised as the legitimate leadership of the ADC.
While lawyers to Gombe urged the Commission not to recognise him as acting national chairman due to the pending suit, another legal team acting for Gombe later demanded enforcement of the Court of Appeal ruling, including the removal of David Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, from INEC’s records.
The Commission said the dispute stems from the emergence of the current ADC National Working Committee after the resignation of the Ralph Okey Nwosu-led executive, which was ratified at a National Executive Council meeting on July 29, 2025.
However, Gombe, who was the party’s Vice National Chairman, insists he never resigned and claims he should automatically assume leadership of the party following Nwosu’s exit.
INEC said Gombe filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 on September 2, 2025, seeking orders to restrain Senator David Mark’s group from parading itself as ADC leadership and to compel the Commission to recognise him as acting national chairman.
According to INEC, although the names of the David Mark-led NWC were uploaded to its portal on September 9, 2025 — seven days after the suit was filed — the Commission has now resolved to remove them in compliance with the appellate court’s preservatory order.
At its meeting on March 31, 2026, the Commission resolved to maintain the status quo as it existed before the suit was instituted on September 2, 2025.
As part of that resolution, INEC said it would no longer receive communications from any faction of the ADC on party affairs, nor monitor any meeting, congress or convention convened by any group claiming to act for the party until the Federal High Court decides the matter.
The Commission also rejected the request by Gombe’s lawyers to immediately allow him take over the affairs of the party pending the outcome of the case.
INEC stressed that its actions were guided strictly by the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on March 12, 2026, which dismissed David Mark’s interlocutory appeal, granted accelerated hearing of the substantive case, and ordered all parties to preserve the subject matter of the dispute.
Reaffirming its neutrality, the electoral body said political parties and stakeholders must avoid actions capable of disrupting the electoral timetable ahead of the 2027 general election.
INEC’s statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
