A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by lawmaker Leke Abejide challenging the legitimacy of the party’s current leadership.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman held that the court lacked jurisdiction to intervene in the internal affairs of the ADC, describing the case as non-justiciable.
The judge also ruled that Abejide lacked the legal standing to institute the suit because he failed to demonstrate that his rights had been infringed by the emergence of the party’s new leadership.
The suit sought to nullify the July 2, 2025 handover of the ADC leadership by former national chairman Ralph Nwosu to David Mark as national chairman and former Rauf Aregbesola governor as national secretary. Abejide also requested an order restraining the two from presenting themselves as the party’s leaders.
Justice Liman ruled that the transition complied with the ADC constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, declaring the emergence of the Mark-led leadership valid.
The court awarded costs of N2 million each in favour of all the defendants, to be paid by Abejide. It also ordered Abejide’s counsel to pay an additional N10 million, bringing the total financial penalty to N20 million.
Abejide, who left the ADC for the All Progressives Congress in May 2026 before securing the party’s ticket for the Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State, had remained one of the leading challengers of the new ADC leadership.
