Court adjourns suit challenging David Mark-led ADC 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 themselves as leaders of the party.

The suit was filed by an aggrieved member of the ADC, Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe, who is challenging the emergence of former Senate President David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the party’s interim National Working Committee (NWC).

The case, which was scheduled for hearing of all pending applications on Monday, could not proceed because the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, did not sit.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to September 28, when the pending applications are expected to come up for hearing.

The latest development further delays the determination of the legal challenge to the leadership structure of the opposition party, which has undergone significant changes ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Judge previously rejected recusal request

Justice Lifu had on June 16 fixed the case for hearing of all pending applications after dismissing applications seeking his recusal from the matter.

The applications were filed separately by the ADC and Aregbesola, who asked the judge to withdraw from the case on allegations of bias.

Justice Lifu, however, held that the two motions lacked merit and dismissed them.

The judge subsequently awarded a fine of N1 million each against the ADC and Aregbesola in favour of Gombe.

The ruling cleared the way for the court to proceed with the hearing of the pending applications in the substantive suit.

Gombe challenges interim leadership

In the suit, Gombe is asking the court to restrain Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim NWC from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC.

The claimant is challenging the process through which the interim leadership emerged, arguing that the development contravened provisions of the party’s constitution as well as relevant sections of the Electoral Act.

Gombe had sued the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Ralph Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants respectively.

The case is marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.

The legal dispute comes against the backdrop of efforts by opposition figures to reposition the ADC ahead of the 2027 elections.

Nwosu, who previously served as the National Chairman of the ADC, stepped down from the position to pave the way for the emergence of the leadership led by Mark.

However, Gombe’s suit seeks to challenge the legitimacy of the current arrangement, with the claimant asking the court to prevent the affected officials from continuing to act or present themselves as the recognised leaders of the party.

With the court unable to sit on Monday, the matter has now been moved to September 28 for hearing of the pending applications.

The outcome of the proceedings could determine the next stage of the legal battle over the leadership structure of the ADC.