By SCM Correspondent
ABUJA, Nigeria – A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has struck out a suit filed by Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide challenging the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The presiding judge, Hon. Justice M. S. Liman, while delivering judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to fully recognize Senator David Mark and other members of the National Working Committee (NWC) as the duly elected national officers of the opposition party.
Justice Liman held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, ruling that the dispute centers entirely on the internal affairs of the ADC.
The court further clarified that the case does not qualify as a pre-election matter, thereby falling completely outside the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court under Section 251 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In addition, the judge ruled that the plaintiff lacked the locus standi (legal standing) to institute the action, noting that Abejide failed to exhaust the mandatory internal dispute resolution mechanisms provided within the ADC Constitution.
Consequently, the court struck out the suit and awarded financial fines against the plaintiff and his legal team for initiating a frivolous action.
Reacting to the ruling, the ADC, through a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, described the judgment as a triumph for multiparty democracy in Nigeria.
”This judgment, once again, affirms our clear position that the issue of leadership remains an internal affair of the party and is therefore not justiciable, especially in light of the Electoral Act, 2022,” Abdullahi stated.
The party expressed hope that the ruling would end “unnecessary distractions and attempts at judicial manipulation” by forces allegedly attempting to destabilize opposition parties and foist a one-party state on the nation.
Abdullahi added that the ADC would remain focused on providing alternative solutions to Nigeria’s pressing challenges, including economic hardship and insecurity, rather than being bogged down by contrived legal battles.
The judgment brings a temporary closure to months of legal and political friction within the ADC, which intensified following the party’s national convention in late 2025.
The leadership tussle pitted a faction loyal to Hon. Leke Abejide—a prominent lawmaker and former governorship candidate—against the camp of former Senate President, Senator David Mark, who assumed the national chairmanship of the party to stabilize it ahead of future general elections.
Abejide’s faction had approached the court to challenge the legality of the Mark-led National Working Committee, alleging procedural infractions during the congresses that brought them to power.
Internal party crises of this nature are frequent within Nigeria’s political landscape. Nigerian appellate courts, including the Supreme Court, have repeatedly maintained a strict stance that political parties are voluntary associations, and the judiciary will rarely interfere in how they select their leaders or candidates, provided their internal constitutions are substantially followed.
With this Federal High Court ruling, the legal legitimacy shifts firmly to the David Mark-led executive, though it remains to be seen if the aggrieved faction will approach the Court of Appeal.
