Court Affirms David Mark-Led ADC Leadership; Legal Counsel Accuses Ruling Party of Fueling Internal Dissension
In a major legal victory with significant implications for the landscape of Nigeria’s opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Federal High Court has formally upheld the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
The court dismissed a lawsuit brought by aggrieved elements within the party who challenged the validity of the transition process, ruling that the matter constitutes a non-justiciable internal affair of a political party.
Speaking live on Arise News' Arise Prime Time, the lead legal counsel to the ADC, Barristar Realwan Okpanachi, described the ruling as a profound validation of democratic principles.
Okpanachi revealed that the court's decision rested heavily on two key anchors: the explicit provisions of Article 19 of the ADC Constitution—which empowers the National Executive Committee (NEC) to exercise the powers of the National Convention—and a formal report by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which monitored and validated the NEC meeting held on July 29, 2025.
Okpanachi strongly rebuffed assertions that political parties use "internal affairs" as a shield against accountability, noting that the Supreme Court has maintained this protective jurisdictional stance for over five decades to preserve the freedom of association.
However, shifting from his role as a legal practitioner to a concerned citizen, Okpanachi leveled severe allegations against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He claimed that allegations of state-sponsored efforts to weaken opposition parties are "already proven," citing widely circulated video evidence in which high-ranking state actors reportedly commended the litigants and plotted the destruction of the ADC.
With this legal hurdle cleared, Okpanachi declared that any further litigation on this matter would constitute an abuse of court process, firmly cementing the ADC's trajectory toward the 2027 polls.
Judicial & Constitutional Metrics of the Ruling
The court's decision highlights the delicate balance between judicial intervention and political party independence in Nigeria's current electoral framework.
"The Supreme Court has maintained this position over five decades ago... What the Federal High Court did today is to restate the law and beautify the law the way and manner it ought to be beautified. The case was as hopeless as anything, and it's quite unfortunate that we are wasting judicial time on issues that have been settled." — Barristar Realwan Okpanachi
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