By Vivian Okejeme
The Federal High Court in Abuja, Thursday, upheld the former Senate President, David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Justice Musa Liman, in the judgement dismissed a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, for lacking merit.
Abejide had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 and filed on February 15, sued the ADC, Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola and the Independent National Electoral Commission, seeking to nullify the July 2, 2025 handover of the party’s leadership.
The court agreed with preliminary objections raised by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola.
The judge held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter because it bordered on the internal affairs of a political party, which he described as non-justiciable.
Justice Liman also ruled that Abejide lacked the locus to institute the suit, having failed to demonstrate how his rights were violated by the emergence of the current ADC leadership.
He further held that the lawmaker did not exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court.
The judge equally resolved the issues raised in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On the legality of the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders, Justice Liman held that the transfer of leadership by Nwosu did not contravene the ADC constitution.
He held that the July 2, 2025 stakeholders’ meeting, where Nwosu handed over the party’s leadership, preceded the National Executive Committee meeting of July 29, 2025, which formally produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s national chairman and national secretary, respectively, under the supervision of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
The court declared that the emergence of the duo complied with the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act, 2026.
Justice Liman subsequently awarded costs of N2 million each in favour of the defendants against Abejide.
He also ordered Abejide’s counsel to pay N10 million as costs pursuant to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The Plaintiff had sought an order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s national chairman and national secretary and an injunction stopping INEC from recognising them as ADC leaders.
He argued that their emergence did not comply with the party’s constitution and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
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