The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, until June 30 for further hearing.
The case seeks to restrain the David Mark-led leadership structure of the ADC and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, from parading themselves as national leaders of the party.
When the matter came up before Justice Peter Lifu, lawyers representing all parties were present except counsel to Sen. David Mark, Suleiman Usman, SAN, who was absent at the time the case was called.
With agreement from counsel in court, the judge temporarily stood down the matter for about 15 minutes to allow the senior lawyer to arrive.
However, after another case was heard and the court session progressed, the judge eventually adjourned proceedings to a later date.
Justice Lifu had previously fixed June 23 for hearing of pending applications after dismissing a motion seeking his recusal from the case.
The court also imposed a fine of N1 million each on the ADC and Rauf Aregbesola after rejecting their request for the judge to withdraw over alleged bias.
The defendants had argued that the judge should step aside from the matter, a request the court dismissed as lacking merit.
The suit was filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, an aggrieved ADC member, who is seeking to stop the interim National Working Committee (NWC) led by David Mark from acting as the party’s leadership.
He argued that the formation of the interim leadership violates the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
The suit lists the ADC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
The court adjourned the matter until June 30, 2026, for hearing of all pending applications.
