A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SSAN), Jibrin Okutepa, who was the lead counsel to Senator David Mark in the legal battle involving the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Friday commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for abiding by the judgment of the Supreme Court without being prompted.
Okutepa, in a statement shared on his X handle, praised INEC for not waiting to be served the judgment of the apex court before restoring the leadership status of the ADC on its portal.
He said INEC was represented in the Supreme Court, adding that the prompt restoration of the ADC leadership to the INEC portal was commendable. “That is how it should be under the rule of law.”
He added that INEC must do what it needs to do for the good of Nigeria and democracy.
Arise News reports that the Supreme Court on Thursday directed David Mark to return to the Federal High Court for the hearing and determination of issues arising from the leadership dispute within the ADC.
This stemmed from the previous ruling of the Court of Appeal which on March 12 dismissed Mark’s appeal against a September 4 ruling of the Federal High Court.
A former vice-chairman of the ADC, Nafiu Bala Gombe, had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, seeking to stop the Mark-led leadership from parading themselves as national officers of the ADC. He listed the ADC, Mark, Rauf Aregbesola (National Secretary), INEC, and Ralph Nwosu, the party’s founder and former national chairman, as defendants.
Delivering a unanimous judgment on Thursday, a five-member panel of the apex court, headed by Mohammed Garba, faulted the order of the Court of Appeal, which asked parties in the suit to maintain the status quo. The apex court held that the Court of Appeal acted beyond its jurisdiction by unilaterally issuing the status quo order.
Friday Olokor
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