*Seeks Order Compelling INEC To Restore Their Names On Portal
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 14, 2026, for the hearing of the suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe seeking to stop former Senate President David Mark and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as executives of the African Democratic Congress — setting the stage for what could be a decisive week in the party’s deepening leadership crisis.
Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date on Friday after hearing notices were issued to all parties in the case, ending an indefinite adjournment that had kept the matter in limbo while an appeal was being resolved.
The hearing will take place against a backdrop of escalating legal manoeuvres from both sides — with Mark’s faction filing a motion to compel INEC to restore their names on the electoral body’s portal while simultaneously asking the same court to dismiss Gombe’s suit entirely.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was originally filed by Gombe on September 2, 2025, naming the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, INEC, and former ADC Chairman Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
The case had been adjourned indefinitely after the Mark-led faction appealed to the Court of Appeal, challenging the lower court’s jurisdiction to hear the suit.
However, the Court of Appeal, in a judgment delivered on March 12, 2026, directed the parties to return to the trial court and maintain the “status quo ante bellum” — the state of affairs as it existed before the suit was filed pending the determination of the substantive case.
That appellate court direction has now cleared the way for the trial court to resume hearing of the matter.
Following the Court of Appeal’s ruling, INEC interpreted the “status quo ante bellum” order to mean it should not recognise any of the competing leadership factions and removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
This action by INEC has become a major point of contention. The Mark-led faction argues that INEC misinterpreted the Court of Appeal’s order, since the “status quo” when the suit was filed in September 2025 was that Mark was the recognised chairman. INEC appears to have taken the view that it should maintain neutrality by not recognising any faction pending judicial determination.
In response to INEC’s removal of their names, the Mark-led faction filed a motion on April 7, 2026 through counsel Sulaiman Usman SAN seeking a mandatory injunction compelling INEC to restore their names on its portal.
The motion argued that INEC acted under a misapprehension of the Court of Appeal order and that the commission’s actions were inconsistent with the true meaning of the appellate court’s direction, capable of rendering the subject matter of the suit nugatory.
The faction also asked the court for accelerated hearing of the case, arguing that the continued uncertainty surrounding the ADC’s leadership is affecting the party’s internal administration, impeding its participation in political activities, and creating avoidable institutional confusion — particularly with party primaries expected between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
While fighting to restore their names on INEC’s portal, Mark and Aregbesola have simultaneously filed preliminary objections asking the court to dismiss Gombe’s suit entirely.
Mark, in his objection, raised two principal grounds. First, he argued that Gombe lacked locus standi — the legal right — to institute the case, claiming Gombe had resigned his position as Deputy National Chairman of the party and therefore had no standing to challenge the party’s leadership.
Second, Mark argued that the suit bordered on internal party affairs, which he contended are non-justiciable — meaning the courts lack jurisdiction to adjudicate disputes about the internal governance of political parties.
Aregbesola, in a counter-affidavit, also urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as unmeritorious. He went further, asking the court to award N50 million in costs against Gombe for what he characterised as a frivolous suit — a substantial sum that, if awarded, would send a strong message about the consequences of bringing what the defendants consider baseless litigation.
Nwosu, the former ADC chairman who stepped down for Mark’s leadership, also challenged the suit on separate grounds, arguing that it was premature and that the internal dispute resolution mechanisms of the party were not exhausted before Gombe approached the court.
Justice Nwite will need to address several critical questions when the hearing resumes on Monday.
On the preliminary objections, the court must determine whether Gombe has locus standi to bring the suit — particularly given the allegation that he resigned his party position. If the court finds he lacks standing, the suit will be dismissed without any examination of the merits.
The court must also rule on the jurisdictional question — whether internal party leadership disputes are justiciable or whether the courts should decline to intervene in what the defendants characterise as purely internal party affairs. This is a recurring question in Nigerian political litigation, with courts having taken varying positions on the extent to which they can adjudicate internal party disputes.
On Mark’s motion to restore his names on INEC’s portal, the court must interpret the Court of Appeal’s “status quo ante bellum” order and determine whether INEC correctly applied it by removing the Mark-Aregbesola leadership, or whether the status quo required maintaining their recognition as it existed when the suit was filed.
If the court grants accelerated hearing, the substantive issues could be determined within weeks — potentially resolving the leadership crisis before the primary election window opens. If the preliminary objections succeed, the suit would be dismissed, strengthening Mark’s claim to the chairmanship.
Monday’s hearing before Justice Nwite is one of three active suits concerning the ADC’s leadership in the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The Abejide suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025) before Justice Musa Liman has already been heard and judgment is fixed for April 13 — one day before the Gombe hearing. That suit similarly seeks to nullify Mark’s leadership and restrain INEC from recognising him.
The former legislators’ deregistration suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/25) before Justice Peter Lifu seeks the outright deregistration of the ADC, with a ruling on the amendment application fixed for April 17.
The outcomes of these three cases all expected within the same week could collectively determine the fate of the ADC as a political party and the viability of the opposition coalition that has formed around it.
The ADC has become the focal point of Nigeria’s opposition politics following the defection of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Kano Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso, and nine senators.
However, the party has been unable to function effectively as an opposition vehicle due to the competing court cases, INEC’s removal of its leadership from the portal, and the refusal of rival claimant Gombe to engage in reconciliation talks — with Gombe publicly declaring on Friday that he would not honour any invitation from what he described as “illegitimate leaders.”
With the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, and party primaries approaching, every day the leadership crisis remains unresolved reduces the ADC’s capacity to organise, nominate candidates, and mount a credible challenge to the ruling APC.
Monday’s hearing before Justice Nwite could be a turning point or another chapter in a crisis that shows no signs of resolution.
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