The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 13 for judgment in a legal battle over the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a case that could reshape the party’s internal structure and influence its electoral prospects. The suit, filed by Representative Leke Abejide, seeks to nullify the appointment of Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as interim national chairman and national secretary of the ADC, respectively. Abejide argues that their appointment on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre in Abuja was illegal and void, and he wants the court to restrain them from acting in those roles. He also seeks to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing them as legitimate party leaders, claiming their appointment failed to meet the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
Justice Musa Liman set the judgment date after hearing arguments from both sides. Abejide’s legal team, led by Ibrahim Idris, SAN, presented the case, while lawyers for the defendants — including ADC, Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola, and INEC — adopted their processes and responded to the suit. The originating summons, filed on February 15, 2026, lists ADC as the first defendant, followed by Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola, and INEC. Nwosu, the former national chairman, had stepped down to allow Mark, the former Senate President, to assume leadership.
Abejide’s suit includes eight reliefs, with the primary demand being the nullification of Nwosu’s handover of leadership to Mark and Aregbesola. He contends that the process was conducted without proper legal or constitutional backing. He further seeks a perpetual injunction to prevent Mark and Aregbesola from using their titles or representing the party in any official capacity. Additionally, he wants INEC barred from recognizing them as party leaders, citing non-compliance with electoral laws.
The defendants, represented by prominent legal figures including Shaibu Aruwa, SAN, P. I. Oyewole, Rilwan Okpanachi, I. R. Abdullahi, and Anthony Onyeri for INEC, argue that the suit lacks merit. They claim Abejide has no legal standing to bring the case and that internal party matters are non-justiciable. They also dispute the date of the leadership transition, asserting that Mark and Aregbesola were elected on July 29, 2025, during a National Executive Committee meeting, not July 2 as alleged. They further argue that the suit is academic and should be dismissed with substantial costs under Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC, through its counsel Onyeri, submitted an eight-paragraph counter-affidavit with supporting evidence, Exhibit INEC-1, to back its position. The commission maintains that it has no obligation to recognize party leadership changes unless properly documented and legally validated. The court’s decision on April 13 will determine whether the ADC’s leadership transition was lawful and whether the party’s internal affairs can be subject to judicial review. This case may set a precedent for how political party leadership disputes are handled in Nigeria.
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