ADC takes fight to Supreme Court after hitting hurdles at Court of Appeal…INEC denies Rafiu Bala’s candidate claim

By Kingston Magare 13.7.2026
African Democratic Congress said it would fight all the way to the Supreme Court after the Court of Appeal agreed with a Federal High Court’s judgement ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise state congresses organised by the Senator David Mark-led faction of the party.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja in a two-to-one judgement dismissed ADC’s appeal, challenging the April 29 verdict of the Federal High Court presided by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, which restrained the David Mark led executive from interfering with the tenure and functions of the party’s elected state executive committees.
Court of Appeal Justices Okon Abang and Donatus Uwaezuoke Okorowo, elected to uphold the Federal High Court’s judgement, while Justice Abba Mohammed, dissented.
Justice Mohammed held that the dispute bordered on the internal affairs of a political party and was therefore non-justiciable, adding that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
The ADC said the verdict will not affect its direct primaries or emergence of its candidates for the 2027 elections
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) notes the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday in a matter relating to party congresses for the election of ward, local government and state executive committees of the Party,” ADC national publicity secretary Bolaji Abdulahi said in a statement.
“We wish to assure members of the Party and the general public that this judgment has no effect whatsoever on the direct primaries through which the Party’s candidates have emerged at all levels.
“The Party has already commenced the process of appealing the judgment, which we respectfully disagree with and consider to be legally unsustainable.
“We also note the dissenting judgment of the presiding Justice, which, in our view, more accurately reflects the settled position of the law and the Party’s position.”
Meanwhile the INEC has dismissed claims by ADC faction leader Nafiu Bala that he uploaded the particulars of Chris Uba as his faction’s presidential candidate.
INEC Spokesperson, Mohammed Haruna, told Premium Times on Monday that Mr Bala couldn’t have uploaded any candidate as the commission only provided login details to the David Mark faction, the only recognised leadership of the party.