BREAKING: Court Issues Fresh Ruling In ADC Leadership Crisis

The Federal High Court in Abuja has indefinitely postponed proceedings in the legal battle over the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) involving former Senate President David Mark following a request by the plaintiff to have the case reassigned to another judge.

According to judicial proceedings monitored by Ireporter Online, Justice Emeka Nwite suspended further hearing in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 after counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, informed the court that a formal application had been submitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court seeking the transfer of the matter to a different court.

Haruna disclosed that the letter requesting reassignment was dated May 4, 2026. He also informed the court that the Supreme Court had on April 30 dismissed an interlocutory appeal previously filed by David Mark against the ongoing proceedings.

The plaintiff’s counsel further stated that the apex court nullified an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal which had halted proceedings in the substantive case.

Lawyers representing the defendants, however, strongly opposed the transfer application. Counsel to the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, described the move as an attempt at “forum shopping and judge shopping,” while P.I. Oyewole, counsel to the fifth defendant, accused the plaintiff of trying to pressure the Chief Judge into what he termed “judicial rascality.”

Delivering his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court could not make any decision regarding the transfer request without first hearing all parties involved, warning that any contrary step could violate the defendants’ constitutional rights.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely to allow parties file the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment and ensure that the defendants are properly served with the transfer request letter. The court added that it would await further directives from the Chief Judge concerning the reassignment application.

The suit was instituted by ADC chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking a court order restraining David Mark, former Rauf Aregbesola and others from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

Gombe argued that their emergence into the party leadership allegedly contravened provisions of the ADC constitution as well as the Electoral Act.