JUST IN: Atiku’s Presidential Ambition Collapses as Federal High Court Adjourns ADC Suit Indefinitely

 

 

Fresh uncertainty has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after the Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned indefinitely a suit challenging the party’s current leadership structure led by former Senate President David Mark.

 

The development is being viewed by political observers as a major setback for ongoing coalition efforts ahead of the 2027 presidential election, particularly for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whose political future has been linked to the opposition alliance gathering around the ADC.

 

Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the matter sine die after the plaintiff, ADC chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, informed the court that he had formally requested the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the case to another judge.

 

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, is challenging the legitimacy of the emergence of Mark and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola within the party’s leadership structure.

 

At the resumed hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, told the court that the Supreme Court had already dismissed an interlocutory appeal earlier filed by Mark against the proceedings.

 

According to him, the apex court, in a judgment delivered on April 30, 2026, also vacated the Court of Appeal’s order which had stayed proceedings in the substantive matter.

 

Haruna, however, informed the court that his client had written a letter dated May 4 to the Chief Judge seeking reassignment of the case to another judge. He urged Justice Nwite to suspend further action pending the administrative decision on the request.

 

The application was strongly opposed by lawyers representing the defendants, who accused the plaintiff of attempting to delay the matter despite earlier orders for accelerated hearing.

 

Counsel for the first defendant, Realwan Okpanachi, argued that the defence team had not been served with any correspondence regarding the transfer request, describing the move as an ambush.

 

He maintained that the plaintiff’s action appeared aimed at frustrating the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the Court of Appeal and affirmed by the Supreme Court.

 

Also opposing the request, counsel for the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, described the move as “forum shopping and judge shopping,” warning that such a trend could undermine judicial integrity.

 

Counsel for the fifth defendant, P.I. Oyewole, similarly faulted the request, calling it “strange” and accusing the plaintiff of attempting to draw the Chief Judge into what he termed “judicial rascality.”

 

Responding to the objections, Haruna insisted that the plaintiff stood by the application for transfer.

 

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court could not act on the letter without hearing from all parties involved, noting that doing otherwise would amount to a breach of the defendants’ right to fair hearing.

 

The judge further stated that because the letter was addressed to the Chief Judge, the trial court could not make any pronouncement on its contents.

 

He subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely to allow parties file a Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment, serve the defendants with the transfer request, and await further directives from the Chief Judge.

 

The lingering legal dispute has deepened the leadership crisis within the ADC at a time opposition figures are seeking to consolidate under a common political platform ahead of the next general election.

 

Gombe is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and other party leaders from presenting themselves as officials of the ADC, arguing that their emergence violated both the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.