The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will no longer accept correspondences from either faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark or Rafiu Bala, following its review of the March 12 court of appeal judgement.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Mohammed Kudu, INEC
commissioner for information and voter education, said the commission will also
refrain from engaging with both groups or monitoring their meetings,
congresses, and conventions pending the determination of the case before the
federal high court.
Kudu said INEC received a letter from the law firm of
Suleiman Usman SAN & Co. dated 16th March 2026, titled “RE: Notice of
pending proceedings before the federal high court and caution against any
purported recognition of Mr Nafiu Bala gombe as acting national chairman of the
African democratic congress (ADC)” written on behalf of concerned stakeholders
within the ADC.
The commissioner added that the commission also received a
letter from the law firm of Summit Law Chambers also dated 16th March 2026
titled “DEMAND FOR ENFORCEMENT OF THE ORDERS MADE BY THE COURT OF APPEAL, ABUJA
DIVISION IN APPEAL NO: CA/ABJ/145/2026: SENATOR DAVID MARK V HON. NAFIU BALA
GOMBE & 4 ORS” written on behalf of Gombe.
Kudu noted that while the letter from Suleiman Usman SAN
& Co urged the commission not to recognise Gombe as acting national
chairman of the ADC due to a pending suit before the federal high court in
Abuja, the correspondence from Summit Law Chambers took a contrary position.
According to him, the latter attached a certified true copy
of the judgement of the court of appeal in the suit between David Mark and
Gombe and requested the commission to enforce the ruling.
He said the law firm’s requests include “ceasing recognition
of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and
National Secretary respectively of ADC; removing their names from the
Commission’s portal; and refraining from dealing with or recognising any
actions taken by them in respect of the party in line with the preservation
orders made by the Court of Appeal.”
Kudu said in another letter dated March 27, 2026, Summit Law
Chambers alleged that the commission had acted in disobedience of the court of
appeal’s orders.
According to him, the law firm claimed that INEC erred by
“inviting Senator David Mark’s group to a political parties’ meeting held on
Tuesday, 24th March, 2026; and monitoring a purported National Executive
Committee meeting of that group.”
He said the solicitors also drew the commission’s attention
to motions filed on December 15, 2025, seeking to restrain the ADC from holding
any convention, congress, conference, or meeting, and to stop INEC from
recognising any of its activities.
They subsequently asked the commission to invalidate the
national executive committee (NEC) meeting held by Mark’s group on March 25,
remove the group’s name from the INEC portal, and stop recognising or
acknowledging correspondence from them pending the determination of the suit
before the federal high court in Abuja.
The firm also urged INEC to allow Gombe to take over the
affairs of the party pending the resolution of the case and to comply with the
orders of the court of appeal in appeal number CA/ABJ/145/2026.
The commission in its statement on Wednesday noted that the
orders of the court of appeal are central to the ADC leadership dispute.
According to the commission, the court of appeal in its
judgement delivered on March 12, 2026, dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed
by Mark and issued a number of preservatory orders.
“Finally, it is necessary to make preservatory orders to
ensure that the subject matter of the dispute pending before the trial court is
not prejudiced as courts have inherent powers to control and regulate
proceedings to ensure justice….” the statement reads.
“The court said the orders were necessary to protect the
integrity of the proceedings and the eventual determination of the substantive
suit pending before the federal high court in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.
“Accordingly, in order to protect the integrity of the
proceedings and the eventual determination of the substantive suit pending
before the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025,
“IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AS FOLLOWS: “That Suit No.
FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, be and is hereby granted accelerated hearing in view of
the Electoral Timetable released by the 4th Respondent.
“That the parties are hereby directed to maintain the status
quo ante bellum and shall refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable
of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the
proceedings before the trial court.
“Cost of N2,000,000.00 (Two Million Naira) is awarded in
favour of the 1st respondent.”
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