The Independent National Electoral Commission has updated its official website to recognise the National Working Committee (NWC) of the African Democratic Congress led by David Mark.
The update, observed late Thursday evening, also lists Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, alongside other key officials including Mani Ibrahim Ahmad (treasurer), Akibu Dalhatu (financial secretary), and Oserheimen Osunbor as national legal adviser.
The development follows a ruling by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, which set aside an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal that had directed parties in the ADC leadership dispute to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
In a unanimous decision, the apex court ordered all parties to return to the Federal High Court for the hearing of the substantive suit.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba held that the lower court acted correctly in asking defendants to show cause why an ex parte application should not be granted.
The crisis within the party began after Nafiu Bala Gombe filed a suit challenging the emergence of Mark as national chairman and sought to restrain his faction from functioning as the party’s leadership.
Following an earlier appellate court ruling, INEC had removed the Mark-led executive from its portal, stating it would not recognise any faction pending legal resolution.
However, the latest update signals a shift in the commission’s position, as it now reflects the Mark-led leadership on its platform while the case continues in court.
The move is likely to influence the ongoing power struggle within the ADC and shape the party’s internal dynamics ahead of future political activities.
