A United States-based professor of journalism, Farooq Kperogi, has criticised the recent Supreme Court judgment on the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleging that the ruling may have been orchestrated to weaken the party and undermine the leadership of former Senate President, David Mark.
Kperogi made the remarks in a Facebook post on Thursday evening, hours after the apex court delivered its decision, which set aside a “status quo ante bellum” order and effectively restored Mark’s leadership, while directing that substantive issues be returned to the Federal High Court for determination.
Expressing scepticism over the outcome, Kperogi claimed that the judgment had been predicted in advance and suggested that it was not entirely organic.
“An editor told me a few days ago what the Supreme Court’s judgment on the ADC leadership tussle would be. He said most people already knew because it was prearranged. And what he predicted is precisely what has now happened,” he wrote.
He further argued that the decision, though being celebrated by some within the party, may ultimately prove detrimental to Mark’s position.
“Sadly, I see ADC sympathizers celebrating it. The body of the judgment is defeat, but it’s attired in the fancy clothes of victory,” he stated.
According to the professor, the apex court’s decision to remit the substantive dispute back to the lower court exposes the former Senate President to fresh legal vulnerabilities.
“By pushing the substantive dispute back to the Federal High Court for full hearing, the Supreme Court basically threw David Mark back to the den of hyenas. He’ll be finally devoured there. At least that’s the plan by the people who teleguided the Supreme Court judgment,” he added.
Kperogi, however, acknowledged the possibility of being mistaken but maintained his concerns about the implications of the ruling.
“I hope I am wrong, but I fear that I won’t be wrong,” he said.
The Supreme Court judgment, delivered earlier on Thursday by a panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, held that courts cannot sustain preservative orders such as “status quo ante bellum” once proceedings have been fully concluded.
The court ruled that such orders are only valid during active litigation to prevent actions that could prejudice the outcome of a case.
With the order set aside, the apex court directed that outstanding issues in the ADC leadership dispute be determined by the Federal High Court in accordance with the law.
The ruling stems from a prolonged internal crisis within the ADC, involving rival factions contesting the legitimacy of party structures, congresses, and appointments.
While the judgment has been interpreted in some quarters as a boost for Mark’s leadership, Kperogi’s reaction underscores lingering concerns and divisions over its broader implications for the party’s future.
The ADC crisis remains unresolved, with the next phase of the legal battle now set to unfold at the lower court, a development that could further shape the opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.