From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing a suit challenging their emergence for lacking merit.
Delivering judgement on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the party, describing the dispute as non-justiciable.
The court upheld the preliminary objections raised by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, David Mark and Aregbesola against the suit instituted by Rep. Leke Abejide.
Justice Liman ruled that Abejide failed to establish that any of his legal rights had been violated by the emergence of the Mark-led leadership and, therefore, lacked the locus standi to institute the action.
The judge further held that the lawmaker, who represents Yagba Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, did not exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before approaching the court.
Beyond the preliminary objections, the court also resolved all three substantive issues in the suit in favour of the defendants.
Justice Liman held that the transfer of the party’s leadership by Chief Ralph Nwosu to David Mark did not contravene the ADC Constitution or any relevant law. He agreed with the defendants that the July 2, 2025, meeting at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, was merely a stakeholders’ meeting that preceded the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July 29, 2025.
According to the court, it was the NEC meeting—monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that validly produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s national leaders.
The judge consequently declared that the emergence of Mark as National Chairman and Aregbesola as National Secretary was valid and in compliance with the ADC Constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026, and other applicable laws governing political parties.
Justice Liman also imposed financial penalties on the plaintiff and his counsel.
The court awarded costs of ₦2 million each in favour of all the defendants, directing Abejide to pay the sums. It further imposed ₦10 million costs against the plaintiff’s lawyer, citing the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Abejide had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 on February 15, seeking to nullify the transition of the party’s leadership from Nwosu to Mark and Aregbesola.
The lawmaker had asked the court to declare the July 2, 2025, handover of the party’s leadership illegal, null and void, arguing that the process violated the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. He also sought perpetual injunctions restraining Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s leaders and barring INEC from recognising them in those capacities.
Abejide contended that their emergence did not comply with the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act and urged the court to invalidate all actions flowing from the disputed leadership transition.
Thursday’s judgement effectively puts to rest the legal challenge against the Mark-led leadership and reinforces the legitimacy of the ADC’s current national executives, marking a significant judicial victory for the opposition party’s leadership.
