Acting on Court Order, INEC Deletes Mark, Aregbesola’s Names from Website, to Shun Convention

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Citing the order of the Court of Appeal, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resolved to delete the names of Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from its portal.

The electoral body also added that it would not receive any further communication or deal with any of the parties or groups pertaining the affairs of the party and would not monitor any meeting, Congress or Convention convened on behalf ADC by any group until the matter is decided by the Federal High Court, Abuja.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, in a statement issued Wednesday in Abuja said this is to ensure it does not act in any way capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court.

He stressed that the commission was in receipt of a letter from the law firm of Suleiman Usman SAN & Co dated 16th March 2026 titled “Re: Notice of pending proceedings before the Federal High Court and caution against any purported recognition of Mr. Nafiu Bala Gombe as Acting National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)”.

The commission said the letter was written on behalf of concerned stakeholders within ADC and another letter from the law firm of Summit Law Chambers dated also on 16th March 2026 titled “Demand for enforcement of the orders made by the Court of Appeal Abuja division in appeal no: ca/ABJ/145/2026 SENATOR David Mark v Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe & 4 ors” written on behalf of Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe.

Haruna noted that while the letter from Suleiman Usman SAN & Co requested the Commission not to recognise Mr. Nafiu Bala Gombe as acting National Chairman of ADC on account of the pending litigation in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 before the Federal High Court Abuja, where the question of the leadership of the party is presently being contested.

He stressed that the letter from Summit Law Chambers, on the other hand, attached the certified True Copy of the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Suit No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 Mark v Gombe & Ors and requested for the enforcement of the Orders made therein and specifically asked INEC to stop recognising Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the National Chairman and National Secretary of ADC.

The court also directed that their names be removed from INEC website and refrain from receiving any correspondence from them or attending any of their meetings, congress or convention ordered or authorised by them in line with the preservation orders made by the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026.

Haruna noted that the Commission further received another letter from the law firm of Summit Law Chambers dated 27th March 2026 titled “Demand for enforcement of the orders made by the Court of Appeal Abuja Division in appeal no: CA/ABJ/145/2026 Mark V Gombe & 4 Ors accusing the Commission of inviting the Mark’s group to the political parties meeting hosted by INEC on Tuesday 24th March 2026 and also monitoring the National Executive Committee meeting of the faction in disobedience of the orders of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026.

He said: “They further drew the attention of the Commission to the motion ex-parte and motion on notice filed by their client on December 15, 2025, seeking to prevent the 1st Defendant (ADC) from holding any convention, congress, conference, or Meeting and to stop INEC from attending, monitoring, observing or recognising any activities of the ADC.

“They accordingly requested INEC to invalidate the NEC meeting held by Senator David Mark’s group on 25th March, 2026, remove the name of Senator David Mark’s group from the INEC portal, stop recognising or acknowledging correspondence from them until the determination of the pending suit before the Federal High Court, Abuja and allow Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe to take over the affairs of ADC pending the determination of the case, and that INEC should respect the orders of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026.”

Haruna explained that the Court of Appeal, after dismissing the appeal of Mark in the interlocutory appeal, made the following Orders as follows:

“Finally, it is necessary to make preservatory orders to ensure that the subject matter of the dispute pending before the trial court is not prejudiced as Courts have inherent powers to control and regulate proceedings to ensure justice…”

Accordingly, in order to protect the integrity of the proceedings and the eventual determination of the substantive suit pending before the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025,

The court also ordered that Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, be and is hereby granted accelerated hearing in view of the Electoral Time Table released by the 4th Respondent.

The court directed that the parties maintain the status quo ante bellum and shall refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court.

The court also awarded the cost of N2 million in favour of the 1st respondent.

Haruna noted: “The Commission, after a careful consideration of the Judgment of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 and the processes filed by the parties in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja wishes to observe as follows:

“That the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Party (ADC) came into being following the National Executive Council meeting of 29th July, 2025 after all the Mr. Ralph Okey Nwosu Exco members resigned and ratified the appointment of the present members of the National Working Committee (NWC) led by Senator David Mark.

“That Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, who was the Vice-National Chairman, denied he ever resigned from the party and claimed that following the resignation of the Chairman of the party Mr. Ralph Okey Nwosu, he Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe automatically ought to take over as the Chairman of the party, being the only Vice-National Chairman left behind in accordance with the constitution of the Party.

“That Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, through an originating summons, instituted Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 2nd September, 2025 for an order of injunction restraining Senator David Mark’s group (2nd & 3rd Defendants) from parading themselves, dealing or continuing to deal with INEC as National Chairman and Secretary of the 1st Defendant (ADC),

“An order restraining INEC from recognising, dealing with or continuing to deal with the 2nd and 3rd Defendants as the National Chairman and Secretary of the 1st Defendant (ADC), an order directing INEC to recognise the Plaintiff (Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe) as the acting National Chairman of the 1st defendant (the ADC), an order of the Honourable Court restraining INEC from parading the 2nd and 3rd Defendants (Senator David Mark’s group) as officials of the1st Defendant (ADC) etc.

“Along with the originating summons were motion ex parte and motion on Notice restraining INEC from recognising Senator David Mark’s group.’

The commission explained that the motion ex parte was heard on 4th September, 2025 and the trial Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, directed that the Respondents, including INEC, be put on Notice to show cause why the motion ex parte should not be granted.

Haruna said that the 2nd defendant, Mark) decided to appeal against the order of Nwite, J on 18th December, 2025 to the Court of Appeal, Abuja, challenging the jurisdiction of the trial court.

He revealed that on 12th March, 2026, the Court of Appeal in Abuja (after about 6 months the appeal was filed) dismissed the appeal of the 2nd Defendant and, in addition, made the above-quoted presevatory orders.

Haruna noted that the Plaintiff also filed another motion ex parte and motion on notice on 15th September, 2025 before the trial court seeking to prevent the 1st Defendant (ADC) from holding, convening or summoning any Convention, Congress, Conference or Meeting and to stop the 4th Defendant (INEC) from attending, monitoring, observing, or recognising any activities organised by the 1st Defendant pending the determination of the suit.

Haruna further said that after the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, the Commission received letters from the solicitors to Mark’s group and Gombe, making claims and counter-claims to the leadership of the party and making several demands on INEC.

He added that the Commission also received on 31st March, 2026 a letter dated 28th March, 2026 from Mark’s group notifying the Commission of the schedule of ADC Congresses and National Convention as well as the revised schedule of activities earlier contained in their letter of 27th February, 2026.

Haruna said the request, through a letter dated 29th July, 2025, for the submission of the names of the New Principal Officers of the ADC for upload on the Commission’s portal was received by INEC on 4th September, 2025 and it was approved by INEC on 9th September, 2025.

He stated: “Given the above scenario, at the meeting of the Commission on Tuesday, 31st March, 2026, the Commission resolved as follows:

“To maintain the status quo ante bellum as directed by the Court of Appeal based on the facts and position of the parties existing before 2nd September 2025, when the case was filed by the plaintiff.

“That the Commission would, in accordance with the Order of the Court of Appeal in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/145/2026 refrain from taking any step or doing any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court, having regard to all the processes filed before the trial Court.

“The Commission refused to accede to the request of the Plaintiff’s Solicitors to allow Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe to take over the affairs of ADC pending the determination of the case.

“The Commission shall not, given the reliefs claimed in the originating summons and the pending motions, receive any further communication or deal with any of the parties or groups pertaining the affairs of the party and will not monitor any meeting, Congress or Convention convened on behalf of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by any group until the matter is decided by the Federal High Court, Abuja so as not to do any act capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or otherwise rendering nugatory the proceedings before the trial court.

“Since the names of the current National Working Committee members led by Senator David Mark were uploaded on 9th September, 2025 by INEC (7 days after the suit was instituted), the names would be removed from the INEC portal pursuant to the order of the Court of Appeal to maintain the status quo ante bellum until the matter is decided by the trial court.

“Steps be taken to ensure that the originating Summons is heard and determined expeditiously as ordered by the Court of Appeal.”

The commission reiterated its unwavering commitment to remain impartial and unbiased and request the political parties not to do anything that will jeopardise the schedule of activities contained in the INEC Time Table for the 2027 election.