The Supreme Court of Nigeria has overturned a ruling by the Court of Appeal which directed parties involved in the leadership dispute within the African Democratic Party (ADP) to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the case.
The dispute stems from a leadership tussle involving David Mark and a suit instituted by Nafiu Gombe. The Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed Mark’s objection to the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja, describing his appeal as premature and improperly filed. It subsequently returned the case to the lower court for accelerated hearing and ordered all parties to maintain the existing leadership structure until a final decision was reached.
Following that directive, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) temporarily withheld recognition of the leadership faction led by Mark. 
Dissatisfied with the appellate court’s ruling, Mark approached the Supreme Court to challenge both the decision and the order preserving the status quo.
Meanwhile, the leadership crisis within the ADP has further deepened with the emergence of another faction led by Dumebi Kachikwu, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate. The group has also rejected the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership, compounding the internal divisions within the party.
