Nineteen northern state chairmen of the African Democratic Congress have thrown their weight behind former Senate President David Mark, rejecting the court judgment that removed his leadership of the party.
The chairmen said they would challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal and petition the National Judicial Council over alleged procedural irregularities in the judgment.
Their position was contained in a joint statement issued on Tuesday following the November 5 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court had nullified the Mark-led interim National Working Committee and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise the affected party executives.
However, the northern ADC chairmen argued that the judgment contradicted an earlier ruling delivered on July 2, 2026, by Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court.
They maintained that the earlier judgment recognised the transfer of leadership from the party’s founder, Ralph Nwosu, to the National Working Committee led by Mark and Rauf Aregbesola.
The forum also questioned the legal authority of the court to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties, citing provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and previous Supreme Court decisions.
It further challenged the eligibility of the plaintiff, Bala Gombe, to institute the case, alleging that he had resigned as Deputy National Chairman and participated in the dissolution of the former National Executive Committee.
The chairmen accused the court of dismissing 27 preliminary objections and applications filed by party chieftains without granting them a hearing.
They also expressed concern that the judgment affected the nominations of candidates, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who emerged through the Mark-led leadership.
According to them, the affected candidates were not joined in the suit and should not have had their political rights determined without being heard.
The forum alleged that the judgment could weaken opposition politics and undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
It also accused unnamed political interests, including the ruling All Progressives Congress and government officials, of attempting to influence the ADC’s internal affairs.
The chairmen said their legal team had filed a notice of appeal alongside applications for interim injunctions and a stay of execution to protect the party’s leadership structure and candidates.
They added that the planned petition to the National Judicial Council would contain what they described as evidence of procedural violations and disregard for judicial authority.
The forum urged ADC members and supporters nationwide to remain committed to the party while the legal battle continues.
