ADC Crisis: Constitutional lawyer reacts to Supreme Court ruling, backs Mark’s position

By Omoyeni Ojeifo

Mr. Realwan Okpanachi, counsel to former Senate President, David Mark, has declared that no court ever sacked Mark as leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that the Supreme Court ruling only reaffirmed his position.

In an interview on Channels TV monitored by Persecondnews, Okpanachi, while reacting to the Supreme Court judgment in Abuja on Thursday, said interpretations suggesting that a Federal High Court ruling removed Mark were incorrect and misleading.

“No court anywhere in this country removed Senator David Mark as leader of the ADC. What the Supreme Court has done is very clear, it has set aside the order maintaining status quo antebellum and restored the position to what it was before INEC acted. He remains the recognised and authentic leader of the party,” he said.

He explained that the apex court nullified the Court of Appeal’s order directing parties to maintain status quo antebellum, stressing that the directive was made without jurisdiction.

According to him, the ruling strips the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of any legal basis to delist or refuse recognition of Mark’s leadership.

“The implication is clear. INEC has no basis to act against Senator David Mark. We are back to the position before INEC took that step,” he added.

Okpanachi further clarified that the Supreme Court did not delve into the substantive leadership dispute still pending before the Federal High Court, but maintained that there is no ambiguity about who currently leads the party.

“There is no doubt as to who is the authentic leadership of the ADC. It is David Mark, and it remains David Mark,” he stated.

Addressing the Federal High Court judgment delivered earlier, the lawyer said the decision was limited to the conduct of state congresses and did not touch on the question of national leadership.

“That judgment had nothing to do with who leads the party. It was strictly about state congresses,” he said.

He maintained that the National Working Committee under Mark remains fully in charge of the party’s affairs, particularly in its dealings with INEC.

Persecondnews recalls that ADC has been locked in a prolonged leadership crisis, with rival factions contesting control of its structure, but the Supreme Court ruling is being seen by Mark’s camp as a decisive legal boost as the substantive matter continues at the Federal High Court.