ADC National Chairman, David Mark and National Secretary Rauf Aregbsola
African Democratic Congress (ADC) has urged the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a lawsuit challenging the positions of Senator David Mark as national chairman and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
In a preliminary objection filed by Shaibu Aruwa, SAN, the ADC argued that the court, under Justice Emeka Nwite, lacks jurisdiction over the case, as it pertains to the internal affairs of the party.
Aruwa further contended that the suit was filed in bad faith, describing it as “an abuse of the processes of this honourable court.”
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Justice Nwite had previously, on September 4, 2025, rejected an application to halt the Mark-led ADC leadership pending the resolution of the substantive suit.
The application, filed by Mr. Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of ADC, was denied, with the judge directing Gombe to notify all defendants to show cause why the motion should not be granted. The case was adjourned to September 15, 2025.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, names ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu as defendants. During the September 15 hearing, only ADC and INEC were represented in court, with Mark, Aregbesola, and Nwosu absent and unrepresented. Gombe’s lawyer, Michael Agber, informed the court that all defendants had been served through the ADC, but Aruwa contested the validity of this service, stating, “The law is settled, my lord. Except the court directed that the defendants be jointly served, the processes had not been properly served.”
Justice Nwite upheld Aruwa’s objection, noting that court permission was required for such service, and ordered Agber to ensure personal service to the defendants. Aruwa confirmed that the ADC had filed a memorandum of conditional appearance, an affidavit to show cause, a written address, and a preliminary objection on September 12. INEC’s counsel, Kingsley Magbuin, acknowledged receiving the plaintiff’s originating process but noted they had not yet been served with the motion on notice, which was rectified in open court.
The court adjourned the matter to September 30, 2025, for further hearing. In his earlier ex-parte motion filed on September 2, Gombe sought an interim injunction to prevent INEC from recognizing Mark and Aregbesola as ADC’s national chairman and secretary, respectively, pending the motion on notice. (NAN)
