JUST IN: Court summons Mark, others over ADC leadership tussle

The Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Senator David Mark-led interim leadership of the African Democratic Congress to appear before it on September 15, to explain why the Independent National Electoral Commission should not be restrained from recognising their authority.

Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on September 4 after refusing an ex-parte application filed by a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, Nafiu Gombe.

Gombe, who is laying claim to the party’s chairmanship, had sought an interim injunction to stop Mark’s faction from parading themselves as party leaders.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 and dated September 2, the plaintiff asked the court to prevent INEC from recognising Mark and his allies as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, pending the determination of the substantive matter.

The defendants in the case include the ADC, Mark, former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola (Interim National Secretary), INEC, and former ADC National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu.

Justice Nwite declined to grant the ex parte relief and instead ordered that the defendants be put on notice.

He further directed them to appear on September 15 to show cause why the plaintiff’s application should not be granted.

The case is one of several legal battles triggered by disputes within the ADC, following INEC’s recent recognition of the Mark-led National Working Committee.

In a separate suit, ADC members Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila are challenging the legitimacy of the interim leadership.

They argue that the appointment of Mark, Aregbesola, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi (Interim National Publicity Secretary) violated the ADC’s 2018 constitution, which does not provide for interim leadership positions.

According to them, only a properly convened National Convention or NEC meeting can dissolve or replace the executive committee.

The plaintiffs further contend that handing over the party’s leadership to Mark and others contravened a December 2022 judgment delivered by Justice Binta Nyako.

The crisis was sparked by the announcement of a coalition—backed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—that adopted the ADC as its political platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Following the announcement, Chief Nwosu dissolved existing party structures to pave the way for the coalition’s new leadership framework.

The matter resumes on September 15.

Meanwhile, the ADC has dismissed reports that the court granted an injunction against Mark and  Aregbesola.

In a statement on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi, said some political actors, after failing to stop INEC from recognising the new leadership, had resorted to spreading fake news.

He explained that INEC had, on Wednesday, officially recognised Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders, contrary to reports that the court had restrained them.

Abdullahi said the ruling delivered by Justice Nwite clearly refused the plaintiff’s ex-parte application, directed that the defendants be put on notice, ordered them to appear before the court to show cause why the application should not be granted, and adjourned the matter to September 15, 2025, for hearing.

He described reports suggesting otherwise as a deliberate distortion of the court’s ruling.

According to him, political jobbers “having failed to stop INEC from acknowledging the leadership change in ADC, are now resorting to fake news. This shows that these agents of destabilisation will stop at nothing, including misrepresenting court rulings, in their desperate efforts to sow confusion and weaken opposition parties.”

He urged the media and the public to remain vigilant against misinformation.

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