A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned indefinitely a suit over ADC leadership involving David Mark, pending Supreme Court records and court reassignment
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned indefinitely proceedings in a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), amid an ongoing dispute involving former Senate President David Mark and other party figures.
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Justice Emeka Nwite ordered a sine die adjournment after the plaintiff’s counsel informed the court that a formal request had been submitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court seeking the reassignment of the case to another judge.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, arises from internal tensions within the ADC following the emergence of David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola in the party’s leadership structure.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, informed the court that the Supreme Court had on April 30, 2026 dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by the defendants and set aside the Court of Appeal’s earlier order staying proceedings in the matter.
He told the court that the highest court had found the appeal lacked merit, and further noted that the plaintiff had written to the Chief Judge on May 4 requesting administrative reassignment of the case.
The defendants, however, strongly opposed the application, arguing that it was a tactic aimed at delaying proceedings and undermining an accelerated hearing previously ordered by appellate courts.
Counsel for the first defendant, Realwan Okpanachi, described the move as an ambush, insisting that the defence had not been formally served with the application.
Counsel for the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, also criticised the request, describing it as an attempt at forum shopping and judge shopping.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court could not act on administrative correspondence from the Chief Judge without hearing all parties involved, stressing that doing so would violate the constitutional right to fair hearing.
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The judge subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely, stating that further proceedings would await the Supreme Court’s certified records and any directive from the Chief Judge regarding reassignment.
