INEC delists David Mark-led ADC faction after Court of Appeal ruling
INEC has removed Senator David Mark's faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from its portal and suspended recognition, following a 12 March 2026 Court of Appeal order directing all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum in a leadership dispute. The appellate court dismissed the Mark faction's appeal, upholding a preliminary objection that the appeal was incompetent. The rival claimant, Nafiu Bala Gombe, had argued he automatically became chairman under the party's constitution and challenged INEC's earlier update of the Mark faction's details in September 2025. INEC's action aligns strictly with the court directive to avoid prejudicing the substantive suit pending at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The analysis contends this crisis is self-inflicted. The Mark faction assumed control without fulfilling constitutional mandates (Section 223, 1999 Constitution) requiring periodic democratic elections, and without delivering the 21‑day notice mandated by Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022. By attempting to hijack an existing party structure rather than registering a new entity under Section 222, the faction disregarded legal pitfalls documented in ADC's history.
The Federal High Court will ultimately resolve the leadership claim. Regardless of its verdict, the episode reinforces that political actors must respect institutional rules to preserve opposition credibility. For citizens, it underscores the need to verify party legitimacy before support. For aspiring politicians, the lesson is clear: build leadership through properly noticed democratic conventions with delegate participation and federal character representation.
INEC's steadfast compliance with court orders demonstrates its statutory commitment to electoral integrity, refusing to become a mediator in party squabbles. The broader political terrain will continue rewarding those who adhere to constitutional and statutory requirements.