The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has indefinitely adjourned the legal battle challenging the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark after the plaintiff requested that the matter be reassigned to another judge.
Justice Emeka Nwite announced the adjournment following an application by counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, who informed the court that a formal letter seeking the transfer of the case had already been submitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.
According to the plaintiff’s lawyer, the request for reassignment was contained in a letter dated May 4, 2026. The development introduced a fresh twist to the ongoing dispute over the leadership of the ADC.
During proceedings, Haruna also notified the court that the Supreme Court had, on April 30, dismissed an interlocutory appeal previously filed by David Mark in relation to the suit. He further stated that the apex court vacated an earlier ruling of the Court of Appeal which had halted proceedings in the substantive case.
The request for transfer, however, faced stiff resistance from lawyers representing the defendants. Counsel to the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, described the move as an attempt at “forum shopping and judge shopping,” arguing that the plaintiff was seeking to manipulate the judicial process.
Similarly, counsel to the fifth defendant, P.I. Oyewole, criticized the application and accused the plaintiff of trying to pressure the Chief Judge into what he termed “judicial rascality.”
In his ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite held that the court could not make any decision regarding the transfer request without first hearing all parties involved. He stressed that acting unilaterally could amount to a violation of the defendants’ fundamental rights to fair hearing.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter sine die, meaning no definite date was fixed for continuation of proceedings. He directed all parties to file the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment and ensure that the transfer request letter is properly served on the defendants.
The court also noted that it would await further directives from the Chief Judge concerning the request for reassignment of the case.
The suit was instituted by ADC chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking a court order restraining David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and other party officials from presenting themselves as leaders of the ADC.
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The plaintiff contends that their emergence into the party’s leadership structure allegedly contravened the ADC constitution as well as relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
