ADC Leadership Crisis: Court Hears Bala’s Suit Amid Allegations of Interference

The leadership tussle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is expected to take a decisive turn today (Friday) as the Federal High Court in Abuja hears a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe challenging the legitimacy of the party’s current national leadership led by former Senate President, David Mark.

However, the Mark-led faction of the party has raised alarm over alleged attempts to interfere in the judicial process, claiming that moves are underway to influence the handling and possible reassignment of the case before Justice Emeka Nwite.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the party warned that any attempt to manipulate the proceedings could undermine judicial independence and threaten Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/1819/2025, is one of several legal disputes stemming from internal disagreements over the control of the ADC following its adoption by a coalition of opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Prominent political actors, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, are among those linked to the coalition realignment that has intensified contestation within the party structure.

The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that there were coordinated efforts to pressure the judiciary and influence administrative decisions regarding the case.

He warned that such actions, if proven, would amount to an attack on judicial independence.

“Information available to the ADC legal team indicates that, despite the fact that the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment has not yet been released or formally communicated to the trial court, the matter has curiously been fixed before Justice Nwite for May 8, 2026,” Abdullahi said.

He added that the situation raised suspicion of a “calculated scheme” to force the judge to step aside, potentially paving the way for reassignment of the case to another court.

“We have credible reasons to believe that this unusual haste is part of a calculated scheme to force Justice Nwite into recusing himself, thereby creating an opening for the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the matter to judges allegedly considered more amenable to political influence,” he said.

Abdullahi insisted that any such move would contradict earlier directives from appellate courts.

“This development runs contrary to both the spirit and letter of the directives earlier issued by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter by the substantive trial judge,” he stated.

He further cautioned that interference in the case would undermine public confidence in the judiciary.

“Any attempt to remove the case from Justice Nwite, whether by administrative manipulation, intimidation, blackmail, or coordinated pressure, amounts to a deliberate interference in the due administration of justice,” he added.

Court documents show that hearing notices have already been issued following an application by Nafiu Bala Gombe’s counsel seeking accelerated proceedings after the Supreme Court reportedly dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by the Mark-led faction on April 30, 2026.

Gombe’s legal team, led by senior advocates including Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), and Luka Haruna (SAN), urged the court to proceed in line with the Court of Appeal’s earlier directive.

The plaintiff, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, is asking the court to restrain Mark, Aregbesola and other defendants from presenting themselves as national leaders of the party, arguing that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

Justice Nwite had previously adjourned the matter indefinitely on April 14 pending the outcome of Supreme Court proceedings but declined an earlier request from the defence to consolidate pending motions with the substantive suit.

Other defendants in the case include the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, as internal tensions within the opposition party continue to play out in courtrooms nationwide.