The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revised its official portal to reinstate Senator David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), along with other prominent members of the party’s leadership.
According to updates on the INEC website as of Thursday night, Mark is once again listed as chairman, with former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola serving as the National Secretary.
The commission also restored the names of other key officials, including National Treasurer Dr. Mani Ahmad, National Financial Secretary Akibu Dalhatu, and National Legal Adviser Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor.
This administrative reversal follows a Supreme Court ruling on Thursday that struck down a previous Court of Appeal order.
That lower court directive had prompted INEC to remove the officials’ names in April, leading to widespread protests from party members and opposition leaders.
In its decision, the Supreme Court declared that the order to maintain the status quo was “unnecessary and legally unsustainable” because such a directive could not remain in effect after the specific proceedings had already been concluded.
The apex court upheld the appeal filed by the Mark-led faction and mandated that a separate lawsuit filed by party chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe at the Federal High Court should now proceed quickly on its merits.
While the Mark-led faction is hailing this restoration as a significant win for due process, the legal battle is not entirely over.
Although the Supreme Court removed the immediate barrier that led to their removal from the INEC portal, a substantive lawsuit challenging the legitimacy of the current leadership is still pending in court.
