Abuja Court Declines To Restrain INEC From Recognising Mark, Aregbesola ADC Leadership

The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has declined to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission from acknowledging the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress pending the hearing of the substantive suit.

Specifically, Justice Emeka Nwite declined the three prayers sought in the ex parte motion filed by Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of ADC, and moved by his lawyer, Michael Agber to that effect.

Rather, Justice Nwite directed Mr Gombe, the plaintiff in the suit, to put all the defendants on notice to show cause why the motion should not be granted.

Justice Nwite, thereafter, adjourned the matter until September 15 for the defendants to show cause.

The ruling was delivered on September 4 and the certified true copy of the order was cited by Daily Sun on Thursday.

While the former Senate President, David Mark, is the current national chairman of ADC, the former Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, is the national secretary of the party.

Gombe, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, had sued ADC, Sen. Mark, Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Chief Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

In the ex parte motion dated and filed on September 2, the plaintiff sought three reliefs.

Gombe sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 4th defendant (INEC) from recognising the 2nd (Mark) and 3rd (Aregbesola) defendants as the national chairman and national secretary of the ist defendant (ADC) pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

He also sought an order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd and 3rd defendants and their cohorts from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the 1st defendant,  pending hearing in the motion on notice already filed and served in this matter.

He sought an order restraining the 4th defendant/ respondent from recognising and or dealing with the 2nd and 3rd  defendants.

INEC had on Wednesday, recognized Senator David Mark and Rauf Aregbrsola as national chairman and Secretary of the party.

INEC equally recognised other interim national officers of the opposition party including a former Edo governor, Oserheimen Osunbor, as national legal adviser; Ibrahim Mani as national treasurer, and Akibu Dalhatu as national financial secretary.

The ADC, in a statement by its interim spokesman, Bolaji Abdullahi, yesterday, accused some persons, who are allegedly disappointed by INEC’s recognition of the interim leadership, are allegedly resorting to fake news. The statement read in part: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) wishes to set the record straight regarding false reports currently circulating in the media about the recent ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, concerning the leadership of our great party.

“Contrary to some misleading publications, the court did not issue any order restraining Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from functioning as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, respectively.

“Instead, the Honourable Court refused the ex-parte application brought by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe and directed that the matter proceed with due process.”

The case has been adjourned to September 15, 2025, for the Defendants/Respondents to show cause.