THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has issued an interim order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising former Senate President David Mark as the interim National Chairman and ex-Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Emeka Nwite, delivering the ruling on Thursday, granted the interim injunction following a motion ex parte filed on September 2, 2025, by Nafiu Gombe, who is challenging the legitimacy of the duo’s appointment.
The motion lists: ADC as the 1st Defendant, David Mark as the 2nd Defendant, Rauf Aregbesola as the 3rd Defendant, INEC as the 4th Defendant and Ralph Nwosu, the party’s former National Chairman, as the 5th Defendant
The plaintiff is seeking to halt what he described as an unlawful takeover of the party’s leadership structure until the substantive suit is heard and determined.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite specifically restrained INEC from: recognising Mark and Aregbesola as the interim national leaders of the ADC, recognising their representatives or acting on their behalf in any official capacity and reflecting their names on INEC’s official website or records as the party’s interim executives
“An order of interim injunction is hereby granted restraining the 4th Defendant, INEC, from recognising the 2nd and 3rd Defendants or their representatives as the interim National Chairman and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice,” Justice Nwite ruled.
Prior to the ruling, INEC had already updated its website listing Mark and Aregbesola as the ADC’s recognised interim chairman and secretary, a development that sparked controversy within the party.
The ADC has been plagued by internal wrangling since the end of Ralph Nwosu’s extended tenure as national chairman. Nwosu, who led the party for nearly two decades, faced opposition from factions calling for fresh leadership.
The appointment of Mark and Aregbesola was seen as a move to stabilise the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, but the decision has been strongly contested by some stakeholders who argue that due process was not followed in the transition.
The court has fixed a date for the hearing of the motion on notice, which will determine whether the interim injunction will be sustained or vacated.
A party source, who spoke to News Point Nigeria said, the ruling could delay preparations for ADC’s upcoming national convention, where permanent leaders were expected to be elected.
The ADC leadership has yet to issue an official response to the ruling, but sources indicate that consultations are ongoing to avoid further escalation of the crisis.
