Court adjourns suit challenging David Mark’s ADC leadership

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, adjourned till September 28, a suit seeking to stop the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

The suit, filed by an aggrieved ADC member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, was fixed for hearing of all pending applications before Justice Peter Lifu.

However, the matter could not proceed as the judge did not sit.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was consequently adjourned till September 28.

Justice Lifu had on June 16 fixed the matter for hearing of the pending applications after dismissing separate applications by the ADC and its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, seeking his recusal from the case.

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The judge held that the applications lacked merit and awarded N1m costs each against the ADC and Aregbesola in favour of Gombe.

The ADC and Aregbesola had sought the judge’s withdrawal on the grounds of alleged bias.

Gombe, in the substantive suit, is asking the court to restrain Mark, Aregbesola and members of the party’s interim National Working Committee from parading themselves as the leaders of the ADC.

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

Gombe joined the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the former National Chairman of the party, Ralph Nwosu, as the first to fifth defendants respectively.

Nathaniel Shaibu is a correspondent at The PUNCH with three years of professional journalism experience. He covers the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), civil society, religion, and the Ministries of Women Affairs and Youth Development. In addition to his primary beats, Nathaniel also reports on politics, metro, security, and judicial matters, bringing clarity and balance to a wide range of public-interest stories. His work reflects hands-on newsroom experience, strong beat knowledge, and a commitment to accurate, responsible journalism.

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