The Impartial Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC) has defined why it not recognises Senator David Mark because the chief of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing a subsisting court docket order and the necessity to obey due course of.
The electoral physique stated its newest place is predicated strictly on authorized directives and never political concerns, because the management tussle throughout the social gathering continues to deepen.
INEC made its place recognized on Wednesday via its Nationwide Commissioner and Chairman of the Data and Voter Training Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
In an in depth assertion, the Fee stated it determined to step again from recognising any of the feuding factions within the ADC and as an alternative keep the “established order” as directed by the Court docket of Enchantment.
The Fee defined that its choice adopted a cautious evaluate of the judgment delivered on March 12, 2026, in addition to the continuing proceedings on the Federal Excessive Court docket in Abuja. It careworn that it will not take any motion that might be seen as interfering with the judicial course of.
In response to INEC, the dispute turned extra sophisticated after it obtained conflicting authorized communications from two completely different events throughout the ADC.
One letter got here from Suleiman Usman SAN & Co, representing stakeholders within the social gathering. The group warned the Fee towards recognising Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe as Appearing Nationwide Chairman whereas the matter stays unresolved in court docket.
Nonetheless, a separate letter from Summit Regulation Chambers, performing on behalf of Gombe, urged INEC to implement the Court docket of Enchantment judgment by withdrawing recognition from Senator Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. The regulation agency additionally demanded the elimination of their names from INEC’s official data and suggested the Fee to cease partaking with them.
The scenario escalated additional when, in one other correspondence dated March 27, 2026, Summit Regulation Chambers accused INEC of disobeying court docket orders. The agency alleged that the Fee had continued to work together with Mark’s faction, together with inviting the group to a gathering of political events and monitoring a Nationwide Government Committee assembly convened by them.
INEC, in its response, pointed to the Court docket of Enchantment ruling, which dismissed an interlocutory attraction filed by Senator Mark. The court docket directed all events to keep up the “established order ante bellum” pending the ultimate willpower of the case earlier than the Federal Excessive Court docket. It additionally ordered an accelerated listening to, noting the urgency created by preparations for the 2027 common elections.
The Fee traced the basis of the disaster to inner adjustments throughout the ADC management in 2025. It famous that the present Nationwide Working Committee emerged from a Nationwide Government Committee assembly held on July 29, 2025, after the resignation of the previous management led by Ralph Okey Nwosu.
Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, who was then the Nationwide Vice Chairman, argued that he by no means resigned from his place. Based mostly on the social gathering’s structure, he claimed he ought to mechanically assume management following the chairman’s exit.
This disagreement led him to file a swimsuit on the Federal Excessive Court docket on September 2, 2025, looking for to restrain Mark’s group from performing as social gathering leaders and to compel INEC to recognise him.
INEC additionally disclosed that it had earlier uploaded the names of the Nationwide Working Committee led by Senator Mark to its portal on September 9, 2025, following a proper request obtained days earlier. Nonetheless, the Fee stated the continuing authorized battle has now compelled it to reverse that motion.
Haruna said: “After contemplating the judgment and all related processes, the Fee resolved to keep up the scenario because it existed earlier than 2nd September 2025, when the swimsuit was filed.
“It additionally resolved to chorus from taking any motion that would undermine the proceedings earlier than the Federal Excessive Court docket.
“The Fee declined the request to permit Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe to take over the affairs of the social gathering pending the court docket’s choice.”
INEC additional introduced that it’ll not entertain communications from any of the rival factions on social gathering issues till the court docket delivers a last judgment. It added that it will not monitor any assembly, congress, or conference organised by both group throughout this era.
In step with the court docket directive, the Fee confirmed that it has begun the method of eradicating the names of the present Nationwide Working Committee led by Senator Mark from its official portal.
The electoral physique reaffirmed its dedication to neutrality and strict adherence to the rule of regulation. It additionally known as on political actors to behave responsibly and keep away from actions that would disrupt preparations forward of the 2027 common elections.