Court Order Forces Independent National Electoral Commission to Delist David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola from African Democratic Congress Records
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has removed the names of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official portal as National Chairman and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing compliance with an order of the Court of Appeal.
INEC also announced that it would suspend all dealings with any faction of the party, including refusing to recognise communications or monitor meetings, congresses, or conventions organised in the name of ADC until the leadership dispute is conclusively determined by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The decision was disclosed in a statement by the Commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna. He explained that the move was necessary to ensure the Commission does not take any action capable of undermining ongoing judicial proceedings or imposing a fait accompli on the court.
According to Haruna, INEC received multiple correspondences from opposing factions within the party. A letter from the law firm of Suleiman Usman SAN & Co urged the Commission not to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe as acting National Chairman, citing a pending suit before the Federal High Court. Conversely, another letter from Summit Law Chambers, acting on behalf of Gombe, demanded enforcement of a Court of Appeal judgement which directed INEC to stop recognising Mark and Aregbesola and to remove their names from its portal.
The Court of Appeal, in its ruling, issued preservatory orders directing all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum and refrain from actions that could prejudice the substantive case before the lower court. It also ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter, given the proximity of electoral timelines.
Following a review of the judgement and related legal processes, INEC resolved to revert to the status that existed before September 2, 2025—when the suit challenging the party’s leadership was filed. As part of this, the Commission deleted the names of the current National Working Committee led by Mark, which had been uploaded after the litigation commenced.
INEC further clarified that it rejected calls to recognise Gombe as acting chairman, maintaining that doing so would amount to taking sides in a matter still before the court. The Commission reiterated that it would remain neutral and avoid any action that could compromise judicial proceedings.
Meanwhile, tensions within the party spilled into public view as a faction of the ADC staged a peaceful protest at INEC headquarters in Abuja, demanding recognition of Nafiu Bala Gombe as National Chairman.
The protesters insisted that the Commission must comply fully with the Court of Appeal judgement, warning that failure to do so could undermine the rule of law and erode public confidence in democratic institutions. They emphasised that no authority is above judicial pronouncements and called for strict adherence to constitutional provisions.
Responding to the protest, an INEC official stated that the Commission’s leadership was attending an official engagement in Lagos but assured that the concerns raised would be addressed appropriately.
The unfolding crisis within the ADC underscores the growing intersection of party politics and judicial intervention, with INEC now walking a delicate line between compliance with court orders and preservation of its neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections.
