Another bombshell was dropped by the main opposition coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC) as it expelled the party’s former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, and a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide.
Gombe has been involved in a struggle for control of the soul of the party with former Senate President David Mark and others.
Recall that on Monday, a faction of the party in Adamawa State announced the expulsion of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, an arrowhead of the party, which is seeking to remove President Bola Tinubu from office in the 2027 general elections.
The decision by the Mark-led ADC to expel Gombe and Bejide was announced at the party’s National Congress, in Abuja on Tuesday.
Others expelled were Kenneth Ehiator, Stella Chukwu and Elias Adiukwu.
Gombe is insisting that he is the authentic National Chairman of the party, despite claims that he earlier resigned from the position of Deputy National Chairman.
Alongside Abejide, he led a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (NEC) last Thursday, where he demanded that Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and Mark stay away from the ADC.
He accused the political figures of attempting to hijack the party.
A suit filed by Gombe led to INEC’s decision to de-recognize the Mark ADC leadership -a matter that is now before the courts.
ADC Crisis: Court Orders Status Quo
Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, ordered all parties in a suit bordering on the leadership crisis within the ADC to maintain status quo pending the determination of the case.
Justice J.O. Abdulmalik gave the order following an application for adjournment by counsel to one of the defendants to enable a response to the plaintiffs’ processes.
The plaintiffs, led by Don Norman Obinna and six others, are suing on behalf of the party’s State Chairmen and State Executive Committees.
The defendants include the ADC, Mark, Patricia Akwashiki, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, and INEC.
The plaintiffs are challenging the legality of a caretaker or interim National Working Committee headed by Mark, which they allege lacks the constitutional authority to organize state congresses or appoint congress committees.
They are seeking declarations that their tenure as State Executive Committees remains valid and that only duly constituted State Executive Committees have the authority to organize state congresses.
They also urged the court to restrain INEC from recognizing or participating in any congress organized by the caretaker committee.
The suit is the latest development in an ongoing leadership dispute within the ADC, centered on the control of party structures ahead of planned congresses and political realignments.
At the heart of the disagreement is the role of a caretaker or interim National Working Committee, which some party stakeholders accuse of overstepping its constitutional powers.
The plaintiffs contend that, under the party’s constitution and the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the tenure of State Executive Committees subsists until valid congresses are conducted, and that any attempt to bypass them undermines internal party democracy.
In his ruling, Justice Abdulmalik directed all parties to file their relevant processes, adding that pending applications would be heard alongside the substantive suit.
The judge further ordered that all parties should refrain from taking any steps that could render the court proceedings nugatory.
He also directed that hearing notices be served on the affected defendants ahead of the next sitting.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to 23 April 23 definite hearing.
Meanwhile, the Mark-led ADC leadership yesterday went ahead with its decision to hold the party’s national convention in Abuja.
But the exercise has been frustrated by inability to get a venue.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Senator David Mark, sitting, 2nd left; Abubakar, 3rd left; Aregbesola, left; and other ADC leaders at a recent media event.
