Abuja – In a landmark unanimous decision, Nigeria’s Supreme Court has quashed the “status quo antebellum” order previously imposed on the African Democratic Congress (ADC), paving the way for the immediate restoration of the David Mark-led leadership.
The apex court’s ruling, delivered on Thursday, effectively nullifies any interim arrangements that had been put in place during the ongoing leadership dispute within the party. As a result, Senator David Mark and his executive committee will resume control of the ADC while the substantive case continues at the Federal High Court.
Legal sources close to the matter described the judgment as a significant procedural victory for the Mark faction, emphasising that the Supreme Court’s intervention was limited strictly to the status quo issue and did not touch on the merits of the broader leadership tussle still pending before the lower court.
The unanimous nature of the decision, handed down by a full panel of justices, underscores the strength of the legal arguments presented by the appellants and brings a measure of stability to the party’s affairs ahead of future electoral cycles.
Party insiders have welcomed the development, with one senior ADC official stating that the restoration of the Mark-led executive would allow the party to “refocus on its core objectives without distraction”.
The Federal High Court case, which centres on the validity of the party’s national leadership, is expected to resume in the coming weeks. Both factions have been directed to maintain the restored status quo until that matter is finally determined.
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