The Supreme Court of Nigeria is set to hear, on Tuesday, an appeal filed by a former Senate President, Mr. David Mark, challenging a suit instituted by a former Deputy National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Nafiu Bala, over the party’s leadership.

In the appeal, Mark is seeking an order staying the execution of the Court of Appeal’s ruling delivered on March 12, pending the determination of the substantive appeal.

The appeal, filed by his counsel, Mr. Realwan Okpanachi, urges the apex court to halt the enforcement of the appellate court’s judgment until the matter is conclusively resolved.

Mark also asked the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from altering the party’s current national leadership structure, as constituted under his leadership, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal.

Additionally, he is seeking an order staying further proceedings in a related suit before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The dispute stems from a ruling delivered on September 4, 2025, by Justice Nwite, following an ex parte application filed by Bala, a chieftain of the party.

The ADC has, in recent months, been embroiled in deepening factional divisions, with rival camps laying claim to the party’s leadership. The crisis has resulted in conflicting court orders and growing administrative uncertainty over the party’s legitimate national structure.

Tensions escalated when INEC reportedly delisted Mark as the party’s national chairman in its official records.

The decision triggered a protest by the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC), attended by prominent party figures, including a former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar; a former Governor of Osun State, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola; and a former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi.

Also present was a former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, alongside other opposition leaders.

A counter-protest was subsequently staged by the Bala-led faction of the NWC, which demanded formal recognition by INEC.