The Federal High Court in Abuja has reserved judgment in a suit challenging the leadership of former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Justice Peter Lifu reserved judgment on Monday after lawyers representing the parties adopted their written submissions and made their respective arguments before the court.
The judge is expected to communicate the date for delivery of the judgment to the parties.
The case was instituted by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, an ADC member who is challenging the emergence of the Mark-led interim leadership of the party.
What Gombe is asking the court to do
Gombe is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and members of their interim National Working Committee from presenting themselves as the legitimate leadership of the ADC.
He argues that the process through which the interim leadership emerged was inconsistent with provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
The suit, FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, names the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and former ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
How the dispute developed
The leadership dispute dates back to 2025, when Nwosu stepped down as ADC national chairman and Mark and Aregbesola subsequently emerged as interim national chairman and national secretary.
INEC officials were present at an ADC National Executive Committee meeting where the changes occurred, according to an affidavit filed by the electoral commission in the case.
Gombe, however, challenged the process and maintained that the changes did not comply with the party’s constitutional requirements.
Interestingly, Gombe himself had attended the July 2025 unveiling of the Mark-led leadership, although he later disputed that his presence amounted to endorsement of the new arrangement.
Supreme Court intervention preceded current hearing
The case has gone through several procedural twists.
It was initially before Justice Emeka Nwite, but was later reassigned to Justice Lifu after Nwite’s elevation to the Court of Appeal.
Justice Nwite had previously adjourned proceedings indefinitely while awaiting developments from an appeal involving the ADC leadership dispute. The matter subsequently returned to the Federal High Court and was assigned to Justice Lifu.
Court rejected bid to remove Justice Lifu
The latest stage of the case follows an earlier attempt by the ADC and Aregbesola to have Justice Lifu withdraw from the proceedings.
They had alleged possible bias and asked for the case to be reassigned.
Justice Lifu rejected those applications on June 16, holding that they lacked merit. He also awarded N1 million costs each against the ADC and Aregbesola in favour of Gombe.
The substantive case subsequently continued, with the court eventually reserving judgment.
What happens next?
The immediate issue is now whether Justice Lifu will grant Gombe’s request to restrain the Mark-led leadership or uphold the defendants’ position.
Until judgment is delivered, the court has not finally determined the substantive question of which faction is legally entitled to control the ADC.
The case is particularly significant because the ADC is involved in Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general election, making the legal status of its leadership and electoral representation an important issue for the party and INEC.
