The African Democratic Congress (ADC)’s fate looms as the party enters a deciding week today, amid a series of factional crises that have almost blighted the party in recent weeks.
ENigeria Newspaper can confirm that the opposition party, amidst its growing popularity and expansion, would learnt its leadership fate this week due to a couple of court hearings that would hold in the same period as the proposed national convention that the party has insisted to hold despite INEC’s warnings.
Checks from our correspondents show that the Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing of an appeal in the current leadership conflict between Nafiu Bala and David Mark, national chairperson of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), for April 14. On the same day, the Bala’s lawsuit contesting Mark’s party leadership will also be heard on April 14 by the Federal High Court, which is presided over by Justice Emeka Nwite. In addition, Federal High Court in Kaduna will aslo be hearing the bail application of former governor Nasir El-Rufai, a chieftain of the African Democratic Party (ADC), who is still in the custody of the Department of State Security Services (DSS).
On the same day, the national convention of the party will hold in Abuja.
Supreme Court hearing of ADC leadership
In an appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national chairman David Mark in the ongoing leadership conflict with Nafiu Bala, the Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing for April 14.
The appeal, designated SC/CV/180/2026, contests a March 12 Court of Appeal decision that is the root of the party’s present problem. Mark is requesting an order from the highest court to halt the implementation of that ruling while his appeal is being decided.
Bala, the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, INEC, and national secretary Rauf Aregbesola are among the respondents in the appeal. In the lawsuit, which was brought by his attorney Realwan Okpanachi, Mark is also requesting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be prohibited from altering the party’s current leadership structure while the appeal is being heard.
Additionally, he asked the Federal High Court in Abuja for an injunction to halt proceedings in a similar matter (suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025).
Federal High Court hearing on ADC
While David Mark has asked for the halting of this case, the court has also picked April 14 to hear Bala’s suit challenging Mark’s leadership of the party.
What this means, however, is that the ruling of this court case might not go on as planned on the same day as a lower court may halt or postpone proceedings in deference to the Supreme Court, according to the hierarchy of courts.
Nasir El-Rufai bail application hearing
Embattled ADC Chieftain, Nasir El-Rufai, would be appearing before a court on Tuesday also. Recall that shortly after hearings at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, was once more taken into custody by the DSS on March 31, 2026.
El-Rufai, who has been on trial for alleged corruption, had just finished a hearing on his bail application submitted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, or ICPC, when DSS agents put him in a waiting car and drove off.
Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, the lead defense attorney, subsequently informed reporters that the court had scheduled a decision on the bail request for April 14.
“The decision has been set for April 14 after the bail application was contested and addressed,” he stated.
ADC Convention
The national convention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is expected to take place tomorrow. In advance of the exercise, the party published revised rosters of its convention committee and subcommittees yesterday.
Recall that the party had previously announced its convention last month, stating that it would carry out its plan and characterizing INEC’s stance as a deliberate distortion of the Court of Appeal’s directive.
ENigeria Newspaper can also confirm that, last week, ADC has moved forward with its ward, local government, and state congresses in a number of states, despite stalled moves in states like Katsina, Edo, and Abia.
However, it remains to be seen where the national convention would take place. The party claimed that it was refused access to both Eagle Square in Abuja. The party also claimed that it requested to use the Velodrome as well, but the ministry told them that it lacked the authority to approve the facility’s use.
