By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide challenging the party’s leadership.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman ruled that the suit lacked merit, holding that the issues raised concerned the internal affairs of a political party and were therefore not justiciable except where there is a clear violation of the law or infringement of legal rights.
The court upheld the preliminary objections filed by the ADC, its former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola.
Justice Liman held that Abejide failed to prove that his legal rights had been violated by the emergence of the current leadership. He also ruled that the lawmaker did not exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before approaching the court.
The judge further held that the transition of leadership from Nwosu to Mark did not contravene the ADC constitution or the Electoral Act.
According to the judgment, the stakeholders’ meeting of July 2, 2025, and the subsequent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July 29, 2025, formed part of the lawful process that produced Mark as National Chairman and Aregbesola as National Secretary.
Justice Liman noted that the NEC meeting was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission, thereby reinforcing the credibility and legality of the leadership transition.
The court consequently declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola complied with the provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act, dismissing all the reliefs sought by Abejide.
As part of the judgment, the court ordered the lawmaker to pay N2 million in litigation costs to each of the defendants.
It also awarded N10 million against his counsel in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Abejide had, in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, filed on February 15, sought to nullify the transfer of the party’s leadership from Nwosu to Mark and Aregbesola, describing the process as unlawful.
He also asked the court to restrain the duo from acting in their official capacities and to stop INEC from recognising them as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
The judgment is widely seen as a major legal victory for the ADC leadership as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections.
