The Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dismissing a suit challenging the party’s leadership structure.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman ruled that the case instituted by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide lacked merit and affirmed the appointments of David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The court upheld the preliminary objections filed by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, David Mark and Aregbesola, all of whom challenged the competence of the suit.
Justice Liman held that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of a political party, describing the matter as non-justiciable.
The judge further ruled that Abejide lacked the legal standing to institute the action because he failed to demonstrate that his personal rights had been violated by the emergence of the new leadership.
According to the court, the lawmaker also failed to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court.
Justice Liman equally resolved all three substantive issues raised in the suit in favour of the defendants.
On the question of whether David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola emerged as party leaders in line with relevant laws, the court held that their emergence complied with the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026 and other applicable regulations.
The judge ruled that the decision by former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu to hand over the party’s leadership to David Mark did not violate the provisions of the party’s constitution.
He also agreed with the defendants that the July 2, 2025 meeting held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja was merely a stakeholders’ meeting held ahead of the party’s National Executive Council meeting of July 29, 2025.
According to the court, the National Executive Council meeting, which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), validly produced David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s substantive leaders.
Justice Liman subsequently declared their emergence lawful and consistent with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act, 2026.
The court also imposed financial penalties on the plaintiff.
Justice Liman ordered Abejide to pay N2 million each to all the defendants as costs.
In addition, the court awarded N10 million in costs against Abejide’s counsel in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The lawsuit, filed by Abejide, sought to invalidate the leadership transition that brought David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola into office.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 and filed on February 15 through his lawyer, Idris, the lawmaker listed the African Democratic Congress, Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and INEC as defendants.
Abejide had asked the court to nullify the transfer of the party’s leadership by Ralph Nwosu to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola during the July 2, 2025 stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja.
He argued that the process was unlawful and inconsistent with the party’s constitution.
The plaintiff also sought a perpetual injunction restraining David Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
In addition, he requested an order preventing INEC from recognising them as the ADC’s national officers.
Abejide maintained that the appointments failed to satisfy the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022, alongside other legal provisions cited in his suit.
However, the court rejected all his claims and affirmed the legitimacy of the current ADC leadership.
