Supreme Court Reserves Judgment in ADC Leadership Dispute Appeal

By

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, David Mark, challenging the jurisdiction of courts to intervene in the party’s internal affairs.

A five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Garba Mohammed fixed judgment for a later date to be communicated after counsel to all parties adopted their briefs of argument.

Counsel to Mark, Jibrin Okutepa SAN, urged the court to allow the appeal, arguing that the issue before the court concerns internal party matters which are not justiciable. He cited a previous Supreme Court decision delivered on March 21, 2025, which held that courts lack jurisdiction over internal affairs of political parties.

However, counsel to Nafiu Gombe, Robert Emukpero SAN, asked the court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the ruling of the Court of Appeal, which declared the suit premature and struck it out.

The appellate court had earlier dismissed Mark’s appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to hear the case filed by Gombe against the ADC leadership. It held that the appeal was filed without leave and ordered that the matter be returned to the trial court for hearing, directing parties to maintain the status quo.

Following the order, the Independent National Electoral Commission withdrew recognition of the Mark-led leadership pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Mark approached the Supreme Court to challenge both the appellate court ruling and the directive maintaining the status quo.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the apex court reserved judgment on the matter.

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kwara North Unites at Ilorin Rally, Backs Tinubu, Demands Governorship Shift

By
Image
 A large political rally in Ilorin on Tuesday saw renewed support for the re-election of President Bola Tinubu and strong calls for the governorship of Kwara State to be zoned to Kwara North in 2027. The rally, held at Metropolitan Square, Asa Dam, attracted party members, stakeholders and supporters from across the state, signalling rising political mobilisation ahead of the next election cycle. Speakers at the event stressed the need for equity, fairness and justice in the distribution of political power, urging the All Progressives Congress at both state and national levels to zone its governorship ticket to Kwara North. Representing traditional rulers from the district, the Emir of Lafiagi, Muhammed Kudu Kawu , said the demand reflects the long-standing aspiration of the people. He noted that Kwara North has remained largely excluded from the state’s top leadership despite its contributions to electoral victories and political stability. Kawu added that the district h...
Read more

FG Approves Major NYSC Reform, Introduces Civilian Leadership Structure

By
Image
The Federal Government has approved a comprehensive restructuring of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, marking the first major reform of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago. The approval was granted at the federal executive council meeting held in Abuja on Monday as part of efforts to reposition the NYSC into a skills-focused and productivity-driven institution aligned with the Federal Government’s economic and youth development agenda. A major component of the reform is the introduction of a civilian-led operational structure for the scheme, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members across the country. The council also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to provide legal backing for the implementation of the reforms. Announcing the development, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the initiative ...
Read more

NYSC Reform: FG Replaces Khaki Uniform With Adire Fabric

By
Image
The Federal Government has announced that the traditional khaki uniform of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, will be replaced with Adire fabric as part of ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the scheme and promoting local production. The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, saying the initiative is designed to strengthen indigenous industries and ensure government spending supports Nigeria’s economy. According to the minister, the new NYSC uniform will be produced locally, noting that Adire is already manufactured in several parts of the country, including Ogun and Kwara states. “It’s Adire. So, Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” Olawande said. He explained that the decision forms part of broader reforms intended to boost Nigeria’s textile industry, encourage l...
Read more