A leadership group within the African Democratic Congress has gone to court to challenge the action of the electoral commission after its officials were removed from official records.
The faction, led by David Mark, is asking the court to compel the commission to restore the names of its national officers, including former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola, who is listed as national secretary. The group wants the court to return things to how they were before the dispute began.
The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, also seeks to stop the commission from recognising any other leadership claims while the matter is still being decided. The applicants argued that the removal of their names created confusion within the party and disrupted its activities.
According to court filings, the dispute is linked to an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal, which directed all parties to maintain the last agreed position before the case started. The faction claims that at that time, Mark was already recognised as the party’s national chairman.
The legal team representing the group said the commission misunderstood the court’s directive and acted in a way that removed the party’s leadership from its system. They argued that this action has left the party without clear leadership and could lead to the rise of rival groups within the party.
In addition to seeking the restoration of names, the group also asked the court to speed up the hearing of the case due to its effect on party operations and political participation. They warned that delays could worsen the crisis and affect the party’s structure.
The case is part of a wider leadership dispute involving another faction led by Nafiu Gombe, who had earlier taken legal steps against the Mark-led leadership. The conflict dates back to 2025 when disagreements over party leadership led to multiple court actions.
With the matter now before the court, the outcome is expected to determine which leadership will be officially recognised and how the party will move forward ahead of future elections.