The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed David Mark leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
Justice Musa Liman, in a judgment, also dismissed the suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, challenging Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as national chairman and national secretary, respectively, of the party for lacking in merit.
Justice Liman upheld the preliminary objections filed by ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark and Aregbesola which challenged Abejide’s suit.
The judge held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to dabble into the internal affairs of ADC, as the suit was non-justiciable.
He also held that Abejide lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit, having failed to show to the court that his rights had been violated in any way as a result of the emergence of Mark-led leadership.
He equally held that Abejide, who is a member of the House of Representatives, failed to explore the party’s internal mechanism for dispute resolution.
Justice Liman also resolved the three issues in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
On whether Mark, a former Senate President and Aregbesola, who was former Governor of Osun, emerged as leaders of the party in compliance with the enabling laws, the judge resolved the question against Abejide, the plaintiff in the suit.
The judge held that the handing over of the leadership of the party by Nwosu to Mark did not violate the provisions of the party’s constitution.
The judge agreed that the disputed July 2, 2025 meeting of the party was a stakeholder meeting which preceded the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held on July 29, 2025, that produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders, which was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Justice Liman, therefore, declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of ADC was valid and in accordance with the constitution, the Electoral Act, 2026 and party’s law.
The judge consequently awarded a fine of N2 million each in favour of all the defendants – to be paid by Abejide.
He also awarded a N10 million fine against Abejide’s lawyer in compliance with the Electoral Act, 2026.
Recall that Abejide had instituted the suit to stop the Mark leadership of ADC.
In the originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 filed on February 15, 2026, Abejide sued ADC, Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola and INEC as 1st to 5th defendants, respectively.
Nwosu was the former national chairman of ADC who stepped down for Mark, the ex-Senate president.
Abejide, among other reliefs, sought an order nullifying Nwosu’s handover or transfer of ADC’s leadership to Mark and Aregbesola, as interim national chairman and interim national secretary, respectively, on July 2, 2025, at Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja for being illegal, unlawful, null and void.
He sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as leaders of the party “as their purported appointment, selection or election was unlawful, illegal, null and void”.
He also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising Mark and Aregbesola as ADC’s interim national chairman and interim national secretary.
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