Court Adjourns Case Seeking Mark’s Removal as ADC Leader

A Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed a lawsuit aimed at preventing former Senate President David Mark and other individuals from presenting themselves as leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with the case now scheduled to resume on June 30.

The suit was filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe and was scheduled for the hearing of all pending applications.

When the matter was called, lawyers for the parties were present except counsel for Mark, Suleiman Usman (SAN).

Justice Peter Lifu, with the agreement of counsel, stood down the matter for 15 minutes to allow Usman to be heard.

However, after another case was heard, proceedings were stood down, and lawyers were later asked to take a new date.

Justice Lifu had on June 16 fixed Tuesday for the hearing after dismissing applications filed by ADC and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, seeking his withdrawal from the case over alleged bias.

The judge held that the motions lacked merit and awarded N1m cost each against ADC and Aregbesola in favour of Gombe.

Gombe is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and members of their interim National Working Committee from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

He argued that their emergence breached the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, has ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission and former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, as defendants.