Nigeria’s apex court has intervened in the lingering leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), overturning a controversial directive that had briefly altered the party’s internal power structure.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria set aside an earlier “status quo ante bellum” order issued by the Court of Appeal of Nigeria in Abuja, describing it as unnecessary and procedurally flawed.
In its judgment delivered on Thursday, the apex court held that the appellate court acted prematurely in granting the order without fully addressing key procedural questions.
The justices stressed that the matter before the lower court was based on an ex-parte application, one that merely invited parties to appear and show cause,?and did not justify the sweeping directive that followed.
The five-member panel, led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, reached a unanimous decision. It further ruled that the appeal filed on jurisdictional grounds was incompetent, as it was initiated without first obtaining the required leave of the appellate court.
With the ruling, the executive committee led by David Mark regains recognition after being affected by actions from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
