The Supreme Court has fixed April 22 to hear an appeal arising from the lingering leadership tussle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The appeal was filed by the party’s National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark, who is challenging a series of unfavourable decisions by lower courts over the dispute.
A five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Mohammed Garba, set the date on Tuesday after granting an application for accelerated hearing in the matter, marked SC/CV/180/2026.
At the centre of the appeal is the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed Mark’s challenge to an earlier ruling delivered on September 4, 2025, by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In that decision, trial judge Emeka Nwite refused to grant an ex parte request for injunctive relief sought by ADC stalwart Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Proceedings on Tuesday also saw the Supreme Court issue directives for expedited filing of briefs. Counsel to the appellant, Jibril Okutepa, was instructed to submit and serve his client’s brief within a limited timeframe, while the respondents were given three days after service to respond. The appellant is to file any reply within one day of receiving the respondents’ submissions.
The crisis within the ADC has generated a string of court cases, with opposing factions laying claim to the party’s leadership, particularly the position of National Chairman. The outcome of the Supreme Court’s intervention is expected to have significant implications for the party’s internal structure and direction.