By Hosea Parah
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‎The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, adjourned till September 28, a suit seeking to stop the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from parading themselves as leaders of the party.
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‎The suit, filed by an aggrieved ADC member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, was fixed for hearing of all pending applications before Justice Peter Lifu.
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‎However, the matter could not proceed as the judge did not sit.
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‎The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was consequently adjourned till September 28.
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‎Justice Lifu had on June 16 fixed the matter for hearing of the pending applications after dismissing separate applications by the ADC and its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, seeking his recusal from the case.

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‎The judge held that the applications lacked merit and awarded N1m costs each against the ADC and Aregbesola in favour of Gombe.
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‎The ADC and Aregbesola had sought the judge’s withdrawal on the grounds of alleged bias.
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‎Gombe, in the substantive suit, is asking the court to restrain Mark, Aregbesola and members of the party’s interim National Working Committee from parading themselves as the leaders of the ADC.
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‎He contends that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim NWC violated provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.
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‎Gombe joined the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the former National Chairman of the party, Ralph Nwosu, as the first to fifth defendants, respectively.

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