Nigeria’s electoral umpire has officially restored former Senate President David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following a decisive ruling from the country’s highest court.

Checks on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) website on Thursday night confirmed that the names of Senator Mark and his leadership team have been re-listed on the official portal. The move marks a dramatic reversal of an April decision in which the commission had removed the faction from its records in compliance with a lower court directive.

The reinstatement is being hailed by the Mark-led faction as a triumph for “due process,” although the broader legal battle for control of the party remains unresolved.

The Leadership Re-listed

The update to the commission’s records restores the full National Working Committee (NWC) under Senator Mark’s leadership.

Re-listed ADC Leadership:

• National Chairman: Senator David Mark
• National Secretary: Rauf Aregbesola (former Osun State Governor)
• National Treasurer: Dr Mani Ahmad
• National Financial Secretary: Akibu Dalhatu
• National Legal Adviser: Prof Oserheimen Osunbor

Analysis: A Victory for Procedural Rigour

This development is a direct consequence of the Supreme Court’s refusal to allow “temporary” court orders to linger indefinitely. By voiding the Court of Appeal’s earlier directive to maintain the status quo ante bellum, the apex court has effectively called time on a legal freeze that had paralyzed the ADC’s leadership for weeks.

However, the “victory” for Senator Mark is more about administrative recognition than a final legal settlement. The Supreme Court has ruled that the original lawsuit challenging his leadership must now proceed “expeditiously” at the Federal High Court. This means that while Senator Mark currently holds the official stamp of the electoral body, his position remains under judicial review.

Legal Obstacles Remain

The crisis originally began following a legal challenge by an aggrieved party chieftain, Nafiu Bala Gombe. While the Supreme Court described the prolonged suspension of the Mark-led team as “legally unsustainable,” it did not dismiss the underlying claims against them.

With the substantive suit still pending, the ADC remains a party under pressure. The restoration of its leadership on the INEC portal provides temporary stability, but the final word on who truly leads the “third force” party will likely come from the Federal High Court in the coming months.