Court Fixes Date to Hear Nafiu-Bala’s Suit Challenging David Mark-Led ADC Leadership

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 14 for the hearing of a suit filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, seeking to stop the Sen. David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) from presenting itself as the party’s leadership.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date following the issuance of hearing notices to all parties in the case.

Gombe, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, joined the ADC, David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

At the last sitting, Justice Nwite had adjourned the matter sine die (indefinitely) pending the outcome of an appeal filed at the Court of Appeal, after counsel informed the court of the pending appellate proceedings.

However, the Court of Appeal, in its March 12 judgment, ordered parties to return to the trial court and maintain the status quo ante bellum pending determination of the substantive suit.

Following that ruling, INEC on April 1 removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official website as ADC national chairman and national secretary respectively.

In response, the Mark-led faction filed a motion on April 7 through Sulaiman Usman, SAN, asking the court to compel INEC to restore the names and to grant accelerated hearing of the case.

They also urged the court to dismiss the suit in limine for lack of jurisdiction.

Mark, in his preliminary objection, argued that Gombe lacked locus standi to institute the action, having allegedly resigned his position as deputy national chairman of the ADC.

He further contended that the suit concerned the internal affairs of a political party, which he described as non-justiciable, and argued that the plaintiff failed to disclose a reasonable cause of action.

He therefore maintained that the court lacks jurisdiction, describing the case as an abuse of court process.

Similarly, Aregbesola, in a counter-affidavit deposed to by Anthonia Nwafor of M.E. Sheriff & Co, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that Gombe could not “approbate and reprobate” after resigning from the party’s National Executive Committee.

He added that Gombe’s resignation had been communicated to INEC in line with party procedures and described the suit as unmeritorious, seeking N50 million in costs for defending it.

Also, Chief Ralph Nwosu, in his preliminary objection filed through his counsel P.I. Oyewole, urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as premature for failure to exhaust internal dispute resolution mechanisms within the party.