The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 13 for judgment in a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide, who is seeking to restrain former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as national chairman and national secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Justice Musa Liman set the date after counsel for all parties adopted their processes and presented arguments for and against the suit.
Abejide, who was elected to the House of Representatives on the ADC platform, filed the originating summons on February 15, 2026, naming the ADC, former national chairman Ralph Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola, and the Independent National Electoral Commission as defendants. Among his eight reliefs, the lawmaker seeks to nullify the handover of ADC’s leadership to Mark and Aregbesola as interim national chairman and interim national secretary, which occurred on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, describing the transfer as illegal and void.
The suit also seeks a perpetual injunction restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as leaders of the party, arguing that their appointment did not meet the requirements of Section 82 of the Electoral Act, 2022. Abejide further asked the court to restrain INEC from recognising Mark and Aregbesola as interim national chairman and interim national secretary, given the alleged procedural deficiencies in their emergence.
The defendants, represented by separate counsel, urged the court to dismiss the suit for lacking merit. ADC, represented by Shaibu Aruwa, SAN; Nwosu, represented by P.I. Oyewole; Mark, represented by Rilwan Okpanachi; and Aregbesola, represented by I.R. Abdullahi, all submitted preliminary objections arguing that Abejide lacked the legal right to institute the suit. They contended that the subject matter borders on the internal affairs of a political party, which is non-justiciable, and that the court lacks jurisdiction to delve into such matters.
The defendants further argued that contrary to Abejide’s submission, the Mark-led leadership was elected at a National Executive Committee meeting of the party on July 29, 2025, not on July 2, 2025. They stated that Abejide had not demonstrated any reasonable cause for filing the suit and urged the court to dismiss it with substantial cost in line with Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act, 2026. Counsel for INEC, Anthony Onyeri, also prayed the court to dismiss the suit, relying on an eight-paragraph counter affidavit marked Exhibit INEC-1.
From a political stability perspective, leadership disputes within political parties carry implications for democratic governance and electoral integrity. The ADC, while not among Nigeria’s largest political parties, has fielded candidates in elections across the country, and uncertainty over its legitimate leadership could affect its ability to participate in electoral processes, including the nomination of candidates for future elections. INEC’s recognition of party leadership is consequential, as the commission relies on duly elected executives for official communications and candidate clearance.
The court’s eventual judgment will likely turn on whether the July 2, 2025 handover and the subsequent July 29 NEC meeting complied with the ADC’s constitution and the Electoral Act. The defendants’ argument that the matter is an internal party affair not subject to judicial intervention invokes a long-standing legal principle that courts are generally reluctant to interfere in political party governance unless clear violations of statutory provisions or fundamental rights are established. However, the plaintiff’s reliance on specific sections of the Electoral Act suggests an attempt to bring the dispute within the court’s jurisdiction by demonstrating statutory breaches.
The judgment, scheduled for April 13, will be closely watched by political observers, as it may set a precedent for how courts handle internal party disputes in the context of the newly amended Electoral Act. For INEC, clarity on ADC’s leadership is essential for administrative purposes, including updating its register of political parties and corresponding with recognised party officials.
