The Federal High Court in Abuja has confirmed former Senate President David Mark as the legitimate National Chairman of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing a legal challenge that sought to nullify his leadership.
Presiding Judge Justice Musa Liman threw out the suit brought forward by Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives, ruling that the court lacked jurisdiction to intervene. The judge classified the leadership dispute as an internal political party affair, which falls outside the scope of judicial intervention. Furthermore, the court established that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to bring the case forward because he failed to show how his personal rights were infringed upon, and he did not utilize the party’s internal dispute resolution processes before seeking legal action.
The court validated the transition of power overseen by former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, confirming that the appointments of both David Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary complied fully with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. Consequently, the court levied a fine of 2 million Naira against the plaintiff in favor of the defendants, alongside a 10 million Naira penalty against the plaintiff’s legal counsel for filing a frivolous suit.
The legal victory has been widely embraced by prominent opposition figures and the party leadership, who view it as a significant defense of constitutional democracy and a rejection of attempts to manipulate the judiciary for political purposes. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar lauded the decision, emphasizing that it protects opposition integrity at a time when coalition platforms are actively aligning ahead of the 2027 general elections. Atiku also reiterated his own commitment to pursuing the presidency in the upcoming election cycle.
Senator David Mark and the ADC leadership stated that the ruling vindicates the party's structural reorganization. They indicated that the decision allows the political platform to move past external legal distractions and focus its efforts on offering viable policy alternatives to the current ruling government.