The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has challenged the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in Abuja to hear a suit seeking to remove its interim leadership led by Senator David Mark.
In a preliminary objection filed on Monday, the ADC, through its counsel Shuaibu Aruwa (SAN), argued that the suit, filed by former Deputy National Chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe, was an abuse of judicial process and that matters concerning the internal affairs of political parties are non-justiciable.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, seeks to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the Mark-led leadership.
Justice Emeka Nwite had earlier ordered the ADC and INEC to appear before the court on September 15 to show cause why the application should not be granted.
At the hearing, only the ADC and INEC were represented. The court observed that the service copy on the court’s file was blank and directed the plaintiff to properly serve all respondents. The case was adjourned to September 30 for further proceedings.
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The leadership dispute follows INEC’s recent recognition of the Mark-led National Working Committee, which was established after the party’s founding chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, dissolved the existing structures to form a new leadership ahead of the 2027 general election.
