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ABUJA — The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in congresses organised by committees appointed by the Senator David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The appellate court, in a split 2–1 judgment, dismissed an appeal filed by the ADC leadership and affirmed the April 29, 2026 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

The ruling is the latest development in the prolonged leadership crisis rocking the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Okon Abang, supported by Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that the appellants failed to provide sufficient grounds for overturning the decision of the lower court.

The majority agreed with the Federal High Court that the conduct of state congresses falls within the functions of the party’s duly elected state executive structures and could not lawfully be taken over by a caretaker national leadership whose authority was being contested.

The court consequently upheld the order restraining the Mark-led caretaker leadership from interfering with the tenure and functions of the existing elected state executives.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026, was instituted by aggrieved members of the ADC, including Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Olona Yinka, Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang and Obianyo Patrick.

They sued on behalf of themselves and ADC state chairmen and executive committees across the country. INEC, Mark, former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the caretaker leadership were listed as defendants.

Court nullifies disputed congresses, convention

The appellate court also addressed the validity of congresses and the national convention conducted by the Mark-led caretaker structure.

It held that the exercises were nullities because they were conducted in defiance of a subsisting order of the Federal High Court.

The court maintained that the caretaker leadership could not rely on the disputed structure to remove or replace elected state executives whose tenure remained valid.

INEC was therefore barred from recognising the outcomes of the disputed congresses, while the court awarded ₦10 million in costs against the ADC.

The Federal High Court had earlier ruled that neither the 1999 Constitution nor the ADC Constitution gave the caretaker committee the authority to appoint committees to conduct state congresses in the circumstances of the case.

Justice Abdulmalik had also held that the tenure of the existing state working and executive committees remained valid until congresses and a national convention were conducted in accordance with the party’s constitution.

The court rejected the argument that the dispute was solely an internal party affair, holding that allegations of breaches of constitutional and statutory provisions could justify judicial intervention.

Minority judgment

The judgment was not unanimous.

Justice Abba Mohammed, who headed the three-member panel, dissented.

In his minority judgment, he held that the dispute was essentially an internal matter of the political party and questioned the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court to entertain the suit.

He also disagreed with the majority’s decision to uphold the lower court’s intervention in the party’s internal affairs.

The majority, however, maintained that where a dispute raises allegations of constitutional violations, such matters may be subject to judicial scrutiny.

Implications for ADC and 2027 elections

The ruling could have significant implications for the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly because the disputed congresses and national convention were used to establish party structures and select candidates.

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American feminist activist and journalist Gloria Steinem, who became one of the most recognizable figures of the women’s liberation movement in the United States, has died at the age of 92.

Steinem died on Wednesday at her home in New York City, her foundation announced on Thursday.

A statement posted by the foundation said she “passed away peacefully” surrounded by people who loved her. No cause of death was disclosed.

For more than five decades, Steinem was a prominent advocate for gender equality, reproductive rights and greater political and economic opportunities for women.

She began her career as a journalist and became known for reporting on issues affecting women at a time when the subject received relatively little attention from mainstream American media. Her journalism included an undercover investigation into working conditions at the Playboy Club, an experience that later became one of the notable episodes of her early career.

Steinem later became one of the leading voices of the second-wave feminist movement that transformed debates about women’s rights in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s.

In 1972, she co-founded Ms. magazine, which became an influential publication focused on women’s rights, politics, equality and social issues. The magazine provided a major platform for discussions about subjects that had often been treated as private or secondary to mainstream political debate.

She also co-founded the Women’s Action Alliance, an organisation dedicated to challenging sexism, and remained involved in campaigns supporting women’s political participation and reproductive freedom.

Steinem was a strong supporter of abortion rights and celebrated the US Supreme Court’s 1973 decision in Roe v Wade, which recognised a constitutional right to abortion. Decades later, she witnessed the reversal of that ruling when the Supreme Court overturned it in 2022.

Her activism extended beyond reproductive rights. She campaigned for voting rights, encouraged women to seek political office and advocated for greater representation of women in the media and other areas of public life.

One of the initiatives associated with the Ms. Foundation for Women was Take Our Daughters to Work Day, which was designed to encourage young girls to consider a broader range of educational and professional opportunities and challenge traditional gender stereotypes. The initiative eventually became a widely recognised event.

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Despite becoming an international symbol of feminism, Steinem’s career was not without controversy. Her public positions and activism frequently attracted criticism from opponents of the women’s movement, while debates within feminism also challenged some of her views and approaches.

Nevertheless, she remained active well into her later years. Recent accounts said she continued writing, speaking and participating in conversations about equality.

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Her death comes shortly before the planned publication of her final memoir, “An Unexpected Life,” which is scheduled for release later this month.

Steinem’s death has prompted tributes across the United States and beyond, with commentators reflecting on the lasting influence of a woman who helped move gender equality from the margins of American public debate into the centre of politics and popular culture.

She leaves behind a legacy spanning journalism, publishing and decades of activism, with her work continuing to influence discussions about women’s rights and equality.

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The Ghanaian Ministry of Gender has launched a new application, Marrify, designed to help prospective couples verify the marital status of their partners before entering into marriage.

The application was unveiled at a ceremony attended by Ghana’s Minister of Gender, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey.

Marrify was developed in collaboration with MarryRight, an agency specialising in family law and marriage.

Speaking at the launch, Lartey said the application would enable prospective couples to make more informed decisions before committing to marriage.

According to the minister, the initiative is also aimed at promoting relationships founded on transparency and mutual respect, while contributing to efforts to prevent gender-based violence.

She said the launch offered couples an opportunity to approach marriage with greater awareness, responsibility and access to relevant information before making a lifelong commitment.

The minister stressed the importance of openness and informed decision-making in building healthy relationships and stronger families.

The introduction of Marrify is expected to provide prospective couples with an additional tool for carrying out due diligence before marriage, particularly in situations where uncertainty exists over a partner’s existing marital status.