The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) continues to hang in the balance as the Federal High Court in Abuja moved the much-anticipated judgment in the suit filed by Representative Leke Abejide to April 14. The ruling, which was originally expected on Monday, was put on hold by Justice Musa Liman due to other official commitments.
At the heart of the legal battle is an attempt by Abejide, a sitting member of the House of Representatives, to strip former Senate President David Mark and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola of their roles within the party. Abejide is asking the court for a restraining order to prevent the duo from acting as the ADC’s national chairman and national secretary.
The case, which Zoyols News has been tracking closely, challenges the legality of the transition that saw long-standing chairman Ralph Nwosu hand over the reins of the party. In his filings, Abejide argues that the handover ceremony held in July 2025 at the Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre was unlawful and should be declared null and void. He is also urging the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the current interim leadership, claiming their appointment failed to meet the standards set by the Electoral Act.
On the other side of the courtroom, the defendants have presented a united front, asking the judge to throw out the case entirely. Lawyers representing the ADC, Nwosu, Mark, and Aregbesola argued that Abejide has no legal grounds to bring the matter before the court. Their primary defense rests on the principle that the selection of party leaders is an internal affair, a “no-go area” for the judiciary.
The defendants further clarified that the leadership team was formally elected during a National Executive Committee meeting later in July 2025, contrary to the dates cited in the lawmaker’s petition. They described the entire lawsuit as an academic exercise that lacks merit and requested the court to dismiss it with significant costs.
INEC has also weighed in on the matter, filing its own counter-affidavit and joining the call for the suit’s dismissal. With all arguments now adopted and the parties having had their say, the political future of the ADC’s top brass now rests on the verdict scheduled for Tuesday. The outcome will likely determine whether the party continues under its current high-profile leadership or faces a fresh round of internal restructuring.
