ADC Leadership Tussle: Court to Hear Case Against Mark, Aregbesola on Monday

Despite recognition by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the legal battle to unseat Senator David Mark, Engr. Rauf Aregbesola, and other national leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) remains unresolved and will continue in court on Monday.

The Federal High Court in Abuja has summoned the Mark-led interim leadership to appear on September 15 to show cause why INEC should not be restrained from recognising them.

While the ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, Mr. Dumebi Kachikwu, welcomed the court order compelling Mark’s team to appear, the party dismissed reports suggesting that the court had ordered the removal of the former Senate President as its leader.

On Wednesday, INEC officially recognised Senator Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of the party after weeks of delay due to the absence of their signature specimens.

Mark was appointed interim chairman in June, with Aregbesola as interim national secretary, following the exit of founding chairman Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu. Their emergence was part of a broader opposition realignment aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu in 2027. The coalition has attracted support from key figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai, and former Sokoto governor Senator Aminu Tambuwal.

However, the transition triggered resistance within the ADC. Dumebi Kachikwu described the leadership change as “illegal and divisive,” warning that it threatened the party’s democratic values. Similarly, Nafiu Bala, a former governorship candidate in Gombe State, declared himself interim chairman and accused Mark and Aregbesola of hijacking the party’s structures.

Three aggrieved members later took the matter to court, challenging Mark’s appointment on procedural grounds.

Court Orders Mark’s Faction to Appear September 15
Justice Emeka Nwite, ruling on September 4, rejected an ex-parte application by Nafiu Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman, who sought to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as party leaders. Instead, the court ordered that the defendants be put on notice.

Justice Nwite held:

• “The plaintiff/applicant’s application dated and filed 2/9/2025, is refused.
• The plaintiff/applicant is directed to put the defendants on notice.
• The defendants/respondents are ordered to show cause why the application should not be granted.”

The case was adjourned to September 15 for further hearing.

INEC has already updated its records to reflect the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC).

Three plaintiffs—Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila—also filed a separate suit challenging the interim leadership and questioning whether the handover violated an existing judgment.

Speaking on the matter, Dumebi Kachikwu told Vanguard:

“This is a sound and welcome development. Yes, those invaders will be shown the way out of the ADC.”

No Court Order Against Mark, Aregbesola — ADC
In response, the ADC insisted that no court had removed Senator Mark and Aregbesola from their positions. National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi described contrary reports as politically motivated fake news.

He stated:

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

Having failed to stop INEC from acknowledging the leadership change in ADC, the political jobbers are now resorting to fake news. This goes to show that these agents of destabilisation will stop at nothing, including misrepresenting court rulings, in their desperate efforts to sow confusion and further undermine opposition parties.”

The party urged the public and the press to disregard false reports and remain vigilant against misinformation.