Precious Nwonu, Enugu
The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until September 28 the hearing of a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by former Senate President David Mark.
The case, filed by an ADC member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, was scheduled for Monday before Justice Peter Lifu for the hearing of pending applications.
However, proceedings could not take place as the judge was not sitting, leading to the matter being moved to September 28.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, seeks to prevent Mark, ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and members of the party’s interim National Working Committee from presenting themselves as the legitimate leadership of the party.
Gombe argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim NWC was contrary to provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.
The plaintiff 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.
The latest adjournment followed an earlier ruling by Justice Lifu on June 16, when he dismissed separate applications filed by the ADC and Aregbesola seeking his withdrawal from the case.
The defendants had asked the judge to recuse himself over allegations of bias.
Justice Lifu, however, ruled that the applications lacked merit and awarded N1m costs against both the ADC and Aregbesola in favour of Gombe.
Following the ruling, the court fixed the case for Monday to hear the remaining applications before it.
The substantive suit will determine Gombe’s challenge to the legitimacy of the current interim leadership structure of the ADC.