The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in an appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, David Mark, challenging the jurisdiction of courts to intervene in the internal affairs of the party.
A five member panel of the apex court led by Justice Garba Mohammed reserved its verdict shortly after counsel for the parties adopted their briefs of argument for and against the appeal.
Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, representing Mark, urged the court to allow the appeal, arguing that the apex court had already settled the issue in a judgment delivered on March 21, 2025, where it held that “no court has jurisdiction to entertain cases bordering on internal affairs of political parties”.
He further urged the court to hold that the Abuja Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain a suit concerning the internal matters of the ADC.
On his part, Robert Emukpero, SAN, representing the first respondent, Nafiu Gombe, urged the apex court to dismiss the appeal and uphold the decision of the lower court, which ruled that the appellant’s case was premature and subsequently dismissed it.
It would be recalled that a three member panel of the Court of Appeal had earlier dismissed Mark’s appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the Abuja Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite, to hear the suit filed by Bala against the leadership of the ADC.
The appellate court held that the appeal was not only premature but was filed without obtaining leave of the trial court.
It subsequently ordered that the case be returned to the trial court for expedited hearing and directed all parties to maintain status quo.
Following the directive to maintain status quo, the electoral umpire later withdrew recognition of the ADC leadership led by Mark, pending the resolution of the dispute by the court.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Mark approached the Supreme Court to challenge the decision of the appellate court, as well as an order staying the directive on maintenance of status quo.
Rather than hearing the motions filed in the appeal, the apex court instructed parties to submit their briefs for and against the appeal.
After listening to arguments from counsel, Justice Garba Mohammed announced that judgment had been reserved to a date that would be communicated to the parties.
