The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned sine die (indefinitely) a legal challenge against the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The suit, filed by party chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, contests the positions of former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola within the party’s hierarchy.

Presiding Judge Justice Emeka Nwite delivered the ruling on Friday after a contentious session marked by procedural disagreements and a formal request by the plaintiff to reassign the case to a different judge.

Supreme Court Clears Path for Substantive Suit

At the start of proceedings, counsel for the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, informed the court that the Supreme Court had, on April 30, 2026, dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by David Mark.

The apex court’s decision effectively set aside a previous stay of proceedings ordered by the Court of Appeal, clearing the legal hurdle for the Federal High Court to hear the substantive matter. Haruna noted that the Supreme Court found the appeal to be "lacking in merit."

Allegations of "Judge Shopping"

Despite the legal victory at the Supreme Court, the plaintiff’s counsel revealed that a formal letter dated May 4, 2026, had been sent to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court seeking a reassignment of the case. Haruna urged Justice Nwite to suspend proceedings pending the Chief Judge’s administrative decision.

The request met with stiff resistance from the defense:

Realwan Okpanachi (1st Defendant): Accused the plaintiff of "ambushing" the defense and attempting to frustrate the Court of Appeal’s order for an accelerated hearing.

Sulaiman Usman (2nd Defendant): Characterized the move as "forum shopping and judge shopping," describing the reliance on private correspondence to the Chief Judge as a "dangerous trend."

P.I. Oyewole (5th Defendant): Termed the request "strange" and argued that it invited a form of "judicial rascality."

The Court’s Ruling

In his ruling, Justice Nwite emphasized the necessity of maintaining fair hearing standards. He noted that taking action on a letter addressed to the Chief Judge without hearing from all parties would constitute a breach of the defendants' fundamental rights.

"This matter is best adjourned sine die to afford the parties [time to] properly file a Certified True Copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court... and finally to await further or any directive from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court," Justice Nwite stated.

Background of the Dispute

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, has sparked a significant internal crisis within the ADC. Nafiu Bala Gombe is seeking a court order to restrain David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and others from parading themselves as party leaders. The plaintiff argues that their emergence into the leadership structure violated both the ADC’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.

The matter remains on hold until the Chief Judge issues a directive regarding the reassignment request.