Court adjourns ADC leadership dispute indefinitely

…awaits the chief judge’s directive

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned indefinitely the suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under David Mark, former Senate President.

The suit, filed by Nafiu Bala-Gombe, an ADC chieftain, has intensified a leadership crisis within the party following the emergence of Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the party’s hierarchy.

At the resumed proceedings, Gombe’s counsel, Luka Musa Haruna, informed the court that an application had been submitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, seeking the transfer of the case to another judge.

Haruna emphasised that the move was intended to ensure the matter is heard expeditiously, in line with a Supreme Court directive for accelerated hearing.

“Your Lordship, we humbly pray that the court awaits the administrative decision of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” Haruna said.

The request, however, was strongly opposed by the defendants’ legal teams, who accused the plaintiff of attempting to undermine the accelerated hearing previously ordered by the Court of Appeal and affirmed by the Supreme Court.

Realwan Okpanachi, counsel for the first defendant, described the move as an ambush, arguing that the defence was not notified of the application.

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Sulaiman Usman, representing the second defendant, criticised the transfer request as “forum and judge shopping,” while P.I. Oyewole, counsel for the fifth defendant, described it as a “strange” attempt to involve the Chief Judge in what he termed “judicial rascality.”

In his ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite noted that the court could not act on the letter to the Chief Judge without giving all parties an opportunity to respond, cautioning that any unilateral action would violate the defendants’ rights.

He subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely.

“Adjournment sine die is necessary to allow the parties to file a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment, serve the defendants with the letter to the Chief Judge, and await any directives from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” Justice Nwite stated.

Gombe is seeking an injunction restraining Mark, Aregbesola, and other party officials from parading themselves as ADC leaders, arguing that their emergence contravenes the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

When asked about the rationale behind the transfer application, Haruna explained that the move was aimed solely at ensuring compliance with the Supreme Court’s accelerated hearing directive.

He clarified that the plaintiff had not lost confidence in the court but desired a faster resolution of the matter.