The Federal High Court in Abuja has deferred judgment in a case seeking to stop former Senate President, David Mark, and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, from presenting themselves as National Chairman and Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The suit was filed by Kogi lawmaker Leke Abejide, who is challenging the legitimacy of their leadership positions within the party.
Originally slated for judgment on Monday, the ruling was shifted to April 14 by Justice Musa Suleiman Liman due to official commitments. A court registrar communicated the development to journalists and political observers who had gathered in anticipation of the verdict, prompting many supporters from both camps to leave the courtroom.
The court had earlier fixed April 13 for judgment after legal representatives adopted their final written addresses and presented arguments.
Abejide, through his counsel Ibrahim Idris (SAN), is contesting the alleged transfer of ADC leadership to Mark and Aregbesola. In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 and filed on February 15, 2026, he named the ADC, former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
Among his requests, the lawmaker is asking the court to nullify the purported handover of party leadership by Nwosu to Mark and Aregbesola, which he claims took place on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. He described the process as illegal and invalid.
Abejide is also seeking a perpetual injunction to prevent the duo from acting as party leaders, as well as an order stopping INEC from recognising them in those roles, arguing that their emergence violates provisions of the Electoral Act.
In response, legal representatives of the defendants urged the court to dismiss the suit. They argued that Abejide lacks the legal standing to initiate the case and maintained that the issue relates to the internal affairs of a political party, which they said is not subject to judicial intervention.
The defence further stated that Mark’s leadership arose from a National Executive Committee meeting held on July 29, 2025, rather than the July 2 event cited by the plaintiff. They asked the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs, describing it as lacking merit.
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