The Federal High Court in Abuja has moved the delivery of its judgment in a high-profile suit involving the leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC. Originally scheduled for Monday, Justice Musa Suleiman Liman adjourned the verdict until April 14 due to pressing official engagements.
The courtroom was filled with politicians and supporters from rival camps as early as 8 a.m. before a registrar announced the 24-hour delay. The suit aims to determine the legitimacy of the current interim leadership of the opposition party.
Lawmaker seeks to sack David Mark and Aregbesola
The legal action was instituted by Hon. Leke Abejide, a House of Representatives member from Kogi State, who is challenging the current party structure. Abejide is seeking a court order to restrain former Senate President Senator David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the ADC Chairman and Secretary, respectively.
The lawmaker’s counsel, Ibrahim Idris, SAN, argued that the transfer of leadership from former chairman Ralph Nwosu to the interim committee on July 2, 2025, was illegal. He has asked the court to nullify the appointment and prevent INEC from recognizing the Mark-led leadership.
Defence argues court lacks jurisdiction over party affairs
Lawyers representing the ADC, David Mark, and Rauf Aregbesola have asked the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as a meddlesome interference in internal party matters. They argued that the court lacks the jurisdiction to delve into the “non-justiciable” internal affairs of a political organization.
The defense also corrected the timeline presented by the plaintiff, stating that the current leadership was elected on July 29, 2025, during a National Executive Committee meeting. They maintained that Abejide has failed to demonstrate a reasonable cause of action and urged the court to dismiss the case with substantial costs.
