Court postpones Nafiu Bala’s lawsuit against David Mark until June 30 amid ADC crisis.

The Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned a lawsuit filed by Mr Nafiu‑Bala Gombe on Tuesday. The suit seeks to prevent David Mark and others from presenting themselves as leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) until 30 June.

The hearing, which was scheduled to address all pending applications, could not proceed.

When the case was called, all counsel were present except Mr Suleiman Usman, SAN, who represents Mark.

With counsel’s agreement, Justice Peter Lifu paused the proceedings for 15 minutes to allow Usman to be heard, and another case was called while awaiting the senior lawyer’s arrival.

After that case concluded, Justice Lifu again paused the hearing and then stood up.

Lawyers were asked to reschedule after a brief wait.

Justice Lifu had set Tuesday, 16 June, as the date for hearing all pending applications after dismissing an application that sought his recusal.

The judge ruled that the two motions filed by ADC and by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (the first and third defendants) were without merit, and imposed a fine of N1 million on each of ADC and Aregbesola, the National Secretary of the party, in favour of Gombe.

ADC and Aregbesola had, in separate motions, requested that Justice Lifu withdraw from the case filed by Gombe, alleging bias.

In the lawsuit, Gombe seeks an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and members of their interim National Working Committee (NWC) from portraying themselves as the party’s leaders.

He argues that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other interim NWC members violates the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

Gombe sued ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ralph Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants, respectively, in the case numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.

Nwosu was the former ADC National Chairman who resigned in favour of the David Mark‑led Interim National Working Committee.