Supreme Court Restores David Mark’s ADC Leadership

David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola

The Supreme Court has set aside the status quo ante bellum order made in the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress. The judgment arose from the legal battle over the recognition of former Senate President, David Mark, and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, respectively.

Ruling that the preservative directive could not validly continue after proceedings have effectively been concluded, Justice Mohammed Garba said that while courts possess inherent powers to issue preservative orders to protect the subject matter of litigation, such powers cannot be exercised where there is nothing left to preserve.

The Supreme Court further held that sustaining the status quo ante bellum order after the relevant proceedings had ended effectively transformed the directive into an unwarranted injunction.

WOW.