Court to Rule on ADC Leadership Crisis as Abejide Challenges Mark, Aregbesola’s Positions

Justice Musa Suleiman Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed April 13 for judgment in a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, seeking to restrain David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as Chairman and Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The court fixed the date after counsel to the plaintiff, Ibrahim Idris (SAN), and defence lawyers adopted their processes and presented arguments for and against the suit.

Abejide, who represents his constituency on the ADC platform, instituted the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 on February 15, 2026, naming ADC, its former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

At the centre of the dispute is the alleged handover of party leadership by Nwosu to Mark and Aregbesola as interim National Chairman and Secretary respectively.

The plaintiff is asking the court to nullify the transfer of leadership said to have taken place on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, describing it as illegal, unlawful, and void.

He is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining both men from presenting themselves as leaders of the party, as well as an order barring INEC from recognising them in those capacities, citing non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.

However, counsel to the defendants urged the court to dismiss the suit for lacking merit. They argued that Abejide lacked the legal standing to institute the case and maintained that the matter concerns the internal affairs of a political party, which they described as non-justiciable.

The defence further contended that, contrary to the plaintiff’s claims, the leadership of Mark emerged from a National Executive Committee meeting held on July 29, 2025, not July 2 as alleged.

They also argued that the suit is academic and urged the court to dismiss it with substantial cost in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

INEC, through its counsel, aligned with the defendants and also asked the court to dismiss the case.

Justice Liman is expected to deliver judgment on April 13.