Agency Report
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed June 3 for hearing in a suit filed by a former National Deputy Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu-Bala Gombe, challenging the leadership of the party under former Senate President, David Mark.
Justice Peter Lifu, who is now handling the matter, scheduled the hearing after the case was reassigned to him following the elevation of Justice Emeka Nwite to the Court of Appeal.
The suit seeks to restrain Mark, the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, and members of the interim National Working Committee (NWC) from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC.
Gombe contends that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim leadership violated the provisions of the party’s constitution as well as the Electoral Act.
The plaintiff listed the ADC, David Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and former National Chairman of the party, Ralph Nwosu, as first to fifth defendants respectively in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.
The case was initially before Justice Nwite, who had on April 14 adjourned proceedings indefinitely following a request by Gombe to await the outcome of an appeal filed by Mark at the Supreme Court.
However, the apex court, on April 30, set aside an earlier Court of Appeal order directing parties to maintain the status quo in the ADC leadership dispute. The Supreme Court subsequently directed all parties to return to the Federal High Court for an accelerated hearing of the matter.
Following the judgment, INEC reportedly restored the Mark-led leadership on its official portal after initially removing it.
When the case came up before Justice Nwite on May 8, counsel to Gombe, Luka Haruna (SAN), requested that the matter be transferred to another judge, stating that a letter had already been written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
The request was strongly opposed by lawyers representing the ADC, David Mark, Aregbesola and Ralph Nwosu, who described the move as an attempt to delay proceedings.
The defence counsel argued that the application amounted to “forum shopping” and maintained confidence in the integrity and impartiality of Justice Nwite.
They further noted that the application had not been served on them and described it as a breach of due process.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely pending the availability of the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment.
Meanwhile, hearing notices have been issued and served on all parties ahead of the June 3 proceedings before Justice Lifu.
The leadership dispute comes amid growing political activities within the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently emerged as the party’s presidential candidate at one faction’s convention, while another faction produced Dumebi Kachikwu as its candidate for the same election cycle.
