BREAKING: Court postpones ruling in suit seeking removal of Mark, Aregbesola as ADC leaders to April 14

The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed its ruling in a suit challenging the leadership claims of Senator David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), moving the judgment to April 14.

The case, filed by a Kogi State House of Representatives member, Hon. Leke Abejide, was originally set for judgment today. However, Justice Musa Suleiman Liman announced a 24-hour adjournment, citing other official engagements.

Court officials later informed journalists and political stakeholders who had gathered at the court premises as early as 8am that the ruling would no longer be delivered as scheduled.

Many supporters and political associates of both Abejide and the Mark-led faction were seen leaving the courtroom after the postponement became official.

The judge had earlier fixed April 13 for judgment after both sides adopted their final written addresses and made submissions through their respective lawyers.

Abejide, who represents Yagba Federal Constituency under the ADC platform, initiated the suit through his counsel.

In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, filed on February 15, 2026, he joined the ADC, its former national chairman Ralph Nwosu, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.

Nwosu, the party’s former chairman, had stepped down, paving the way for Mark’s emergence as leader of the party structure.

The lawmaker is asking the court for eight reliefs, including nullification of the alleged handover of ADC leadership to Mark and Aregbesola, which he claims was done on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. He argues the process was illegal and void.

He is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining both Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as party leaders, insisting their appointments or selections did not follow due process and are therefore invalid.

In addition, he wants INEC barred from recognising them as interim national chairman and secretary of the party, arguing that their emergence did not comply with Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

However, the ADC and other defendants, represented by various senior lawyers including Shaibu Aruwa, SAN, and counsel for INEC, urged the court to dismiss the suit outright.

They argued that Abejide has no legal standing to bring the matter before the court, describing it as an internal party affair that is not subject to judicial review.

According to them, the court lacks jurisdiction over the dispute and should not interfere in the internal workings of a political party.

The defendants further insisted that the Mark-led leadership was properly constituted during a National Executive Committee meeting held on July 29, 2025, not July 2 as alleged by the plaintiff.

They also maintained that the case discloses no reasonable cause of action and is merely academic in nature.

Relying on Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act, 2026, they urged the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs.