The Federal High Court in Abuja has asked the African Democratic Congress’ interim leadership, led by Senator David Mark, to appear before it on September 15 to explain why the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not be prevented from accepting their authority.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the ruling on September 4, rejecting an ex-parte motion submitted by Nafiu Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC.
Gombe, who claims the party’s chairmanship, has requested an interim order to prevent Mark’s faction from posing as party leaders.
In the complaint, FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed on September 2, the plaintiff requested that the court restrain INEC from acknowledging Mark and his friends as the ADC’s National Chairman and National Secretary pending the outcome of the substantive matter.
The defendants in the lawsuit are the ADC, Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola (Interim National Secretary), INEC, and Chief Ralph Nwosu, former ADC National Chairman.
Justice Nwite denied the ex parte relief and instead ordered that the defendants be placed on notice.
He also ordered them to appear on September 15 to show cause why the plaintiff’s application should not be granted.
The issue is one among several legal challenges sparked by disagreements within the ADC following INEC’s recent acceptance of the Mark-led National Working Committee.
In a separate lawsuit, ADC members Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila question the validity of the temporary leadership.
They believe that the nomination of Mark, Aregbesola, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi (temporary National Publicity Secretary) breached the ADC’s 2018 constitution, which does not include temporary leadership posts.
They argue that only a duly constituted National Convention or NEC meeting has the authority to dissolve or replace the executive committee.
The plaintiffs argue that handing over the party’s leadership to Mark and others violates a December 2022 judgment by Justice Binta Nyako.
The crisis began with the announcement of a coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that used the ADC as a platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.
Following the announcement, Chief Nwosu disbanded old party institutions to make space for the coalition’s new leadership framework.
The case resumes on September 15.
The ADC has denied reports that a court granted an injunction against Mark and Aregbesola.
In a statement on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Abdullahi, stated that some political actors had spread fake news after failing to prevent INEC from recognizing the new leadership.
He clarified that INEC officially recognized Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders on Wednesday, contrary to reports that the court had rested.
He condemned publications claiming differently as a deliberate misrepresentation of the court’s decision.
According to him, political frauds, “having failed to stop INEC from acknowledging the leadership change in ADC, are now resorting to fake news. This shows that these agents of destabilization will stop at nothing, including misrepresenting court rulings, in their desperate efforts to sow confusion and weaken opposition parties.”
