Court Takes Fresh Decision On ADC Leadership Tussle

The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has adjourned the hearing in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, concerning the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Naija News reports that the matter was adjourned until June 8, to ensure all interested parties are properly brought before the court.

The decision was taken by Justice Peter Lifu on Wednesday after counsel to the plaintiff, Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), informed the court that lawyers representing parties seeking to be joined in the matter were absent.

When the case was called, legal representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the parties seeking joinder were not in court.

While court records indicated that INEC had been served with hearing notices, the parties seeking to join the suit had not yet received service.

Counsel to the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), reminded the court that the parties seeking joinder had featured in earlier proceedings before the former trial judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, who had taken judicial notice of their applications.

He requested that, in the spirit of a fair hearing, the parties be afforded the opportunity to appear before the court and state the basis of their interest in the matter.

Aruwa further argued that issues relating to the applications for joinder had already been raised and were known to the plaintiff.

Responding, Emukpoeruo referenced recent appellate decisions directing that the matter be heard expeditiously and urged the court to allow all pending processes to be filed and exchanged. He also sought an adjournment to enable the interested parties to participate fully in the proceedings.

The request was not opposed by counsel representing the ADC, Senator David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and former ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu.

However, defence lawyers contended that the plaintiff’s earlier efforts to seek reassignment of the case had contributed to delays, contrary to the Supreme Court’s directive for an accelerated hearing.

In his remarks, Justice Lifu stated that litigants do not possess the right to choose the judge before whom their cases are heard. He added that having been assigned the matter by the Chief Judge and guided by directives from both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, the court was obligated to ensure a fair and speedy determination of the dispute.

The judge also accepted responsibility for the failure to effect service on the parties seeking joinder and subsequently adjourned the case to June 8.

“In the circumstances of this case and the overall interest of justice and order of the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court, this case is hereby given an accelerated hearing,” Justice Lifu said.

He directed the court bailiff to serve all parties seeking joinder within 24 hours and ordered all parties in the matter to file and exchange their processes before the next hearing date.

The suit before the court was instituted by a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, Nafiu-Bala Gombe.

Gombe is seeking judicial orders restraining Senator David Mark, who currently heads the party’s interim leadership, as well as Rauf Aregbesola and members of the interim National Working Committee (NWC), from acting as national officers of the party.

According to him, the process that produced the interim leadership violated provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.

The ADC, Senator David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, INEC and former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, are all named as defendants in the suit.

While one faction of the ADC produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its 2027 presidential candidate, another faction also adopted Dumebi Kachikwu as its flagbearer.