Former Senate President, David Mark, and former governor of Osun State, Ogbeni (Engr) Rauf Aregbesola heaved a sigh of relief as the Federal High Court (FHC) sitting in Abuja today affirmed their leadership of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The party is among those seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in next year’s election.
Delivering judgment in the ADC leadership matter, Justice Musa Liman dismissed the suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Leke Abejide, challenging Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as ADC’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, saying it lacked merit.
Furthermore, Hon. Abejide suffered financial losses as the judge slammed a N10million cost on him to be paid, at the rate of N2million each, to ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the party’s former National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu (who handed over to Mark), and electoral umpire Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Justice Liman upheld the preliminary objections filed by ADC, Chief Nwosu, Mark and Aregbesola which challenged Abejide’s suit.
The judge held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to dabble into the internal affairs of ADC, as the suit was non-justiciable.
He also held that Abejide lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit, having failed to show to the court that his rights had been violated in any way as a result of the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
Also, he held that Abejide failed to explore the party’s internal mechanism for dispute resolution.
Justice Liman also resolved the three issues in the substantive suit in favour of the defendants.
Among other reliefs sought, Abejide, had prayed for an order nullifying Nwosu’s handover or transfer of ADC’s leadership to Mark and Aregbesola, as interim National Chairman and interim National Secretary, respectively, on 2 July, 2025, at Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, insisting that it was illegal, unlawful, null and void.
He sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as leaders of the party “as their purported appointment, selection or election was unlawful, illegal, null and void.”
He further sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining INEC from recognising Mark and Aregbesola as ADC’s interim National Chairman and interim National Secretary.
On whether Mark and Aregbesola emerged as leaders of the party in compliance with the enabling laws, Justice Liman resolved the question against Abejide.
The judge held that the handing over of the leadership of the party by Nwosu to Mark did not violate the provisions of the party’s constitution.
The judge agreed that the disputed 2 July, 2025 meeting of the party was a stakeholder meeting which preceded the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held on 29 July, 2025, that produced Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders, which was monitored by INEC.
Justice Liman, therefore, declared that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of ADC was valid and in accordance with the constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and the party’s law.
The judge consequently awarded a fine of N2 million each in favour of all the defendants – to be paid by Abejide.
He also awarded a N10 million fine against Abejide’s lawyer in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026.
Abejide had instituted the suit to stop the Mark leadership of ADC.
In the originating summons, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 filed on 15 February, 2026, Abejide sued ADC, Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola and INEC as 1st to 5th defendants, respectively.
*PHOTO CAPTION: David Mark (l) and Aregbesola.
