The leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has received a major legal boost after a Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed the emergence of former Senate President David Mark as the party’s National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
Justice Musa Liman dismissed a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide, ruling that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the party. The judge also held that Abejide failed to exhaust the ADC’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms and lacked the legal standing to institute the case.
The court further declared that the process through which former ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu handed over the party’s leadership to Mark, which was later ratified at the party’s National Executive Council meeting monitored by INEC, complied with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act. All issues raised by the plaintiff were resolved in favour of the defendants.
Justice Liman also imposed financial penalties on the plaintiff, ordering Abejide to pay N2 million each to the defendants, while his lawyer was fined N10 million, bringing the total sanctions to N14 million.
Reacting to the judgment, the ADC described the ruling as a victory for internal party democracy and Nigeria’s multi-party system, expressing confidence that it would put an end to attempts to destabilise the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also welcomed the verdict, praising the judiciary for upholding the rule of law. He said the decision reaffirmed the independence of the courts and urged party members to remain focused on building a credible alternative for Nigerians ahead of the 2027 general election.
