The Supreme Court of Nigeria has set aside the order of status quo ante bellum issued by the Court of Appeal Nigeria in Abuja in the leadership dispute involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The ruling effectively restores the executive led by David Mark, which had previously been delisted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a unanimous decision delivered on Thursday, a five-member panel of the apex court led by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba held that the Court of Appeal’s order was unnecessary in the circumstances of the case.
The Supreme Court further ruled that the appeal on jurisdiction was improperly filed, as it stemmed from an ex parte order directing parties to show cause without first obtaining leave of the appellate court.
