ADC Leadership Crisis: Court Adjourns Suit Against David Mark-Led Leadership to September 28

The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until September 28 a suit seeking to stop the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from parading itself as the leadership of the party.

 

The suit was filed by an aggrieved ADC member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, and was scheduled for hearing of all pending applications on Monday.

 

However, the case could not proceed as the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, did not sit. It was subsequently adjourned to September 28.

 

Justice Lifu had on June 16 fixed the case for hearing after dismissing an application seeking his recusal from the matter.

 

The judge had ruled that separate motions filed by the ADC and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the first and third defendants respectively, lacked merit and awarded a fine of N1 million each against them in favour of Gombe.

 

The ADC and Aregbesola had asked the judge to withdraw from the case, citing alleged bias.

 

In the substantive suit, Gombe is seeking an order restraining David Mark, Aregbesola and members of their interim National Working Committee from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

 

He argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim NWC violated the provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.

 

Gombe sued the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ralph Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.

 

Nwosu, a former National Chairman of the ADC, had stepped down from the position to pave the way for the David Mark-led leadership of the party.