Federal High Court Backs Mark-Led ADC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman dismissed a suit filed by House of Representatives member, Leke Abejide, challenging the emergence of Senator David Mark as National Chairman and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary of the party.

The court upheld the preliminary objections raised by the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, ruling that Abejide’s suit lacked merit.
Justice Liman held that the court had no jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the political party, describing the matter as non-justiciable. He further ruled that Abejide failed to establish that any of his legal rights had been violated by the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
The judge also noted that the lawmaker did not exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before approaching the court.
Justice Liman resolved all three issues raised in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On the legality of the emergence of David Mark, a former Senate President, and Rauf Aregbesola, former Governor of Osun State, as leaders of the party, the court ruled against Abejide.
According to the judgment, Chief Ralph Nwosu’s handover of the party’s leadership to Mark did not breach the ADC constitution.
The court further held that the July 2, 2025 stakeholders’ meeting, where the leadership transition began, was valid and preceded the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on July 29, 2025. The NEC meeting, monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), formally produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders.
Justice Liman consequently declared that the emergence of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola complied with the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026, and other applicable laws.
The court also awarded costs of N2 million each in favour of all the defendants, to be paid by Abejide.
In addition, Justice Liman imposed a N10 million cost against Abejide’s lawyer in line with the Electoral Act, 2026.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abejide had instituted the suit seeking to nullify the Mark-led leadership of the ADC.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, filed on February 15 by Idris, Abejide listed the ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and INEC as the first to fifth defendants.
NAN reports that Nwosu, the former National Chairman of the ADC, stepped down in favour of David Mark.
Among the eight reliefs sought, Abejide asked the court to nullify Nwosu’s transfer of the party’s leadership to Mark and Aregbesola as interim National Chairman and interim National Secretary, respectively, during the July 2, 2025 meeting held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, describing the action as illegal, unlawful, null and void.
He also sought perpetual injunctions restraining Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as leaders of the party and preventing INEC from recognising them in those positions.
Abejide argued that their appointment did not comply with the provisions of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022, among other claims.
(NAN)