A Federal High Court in Abuja has slated April 14 for the hearing of a suit filed by Nafiu Bala, a former deputy national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), contesting the leadership of David Mark.
Bala is seeking an order to restrain the Mark-led faction from presenting themselves as the party’s national officers.
BACKSTORY
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, names the ADC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola (national secretary), INEC, and the party’s founder, Ralph Nwosu, as defendants.
Nafiu Bala insists he never resigned as national vice-chairman and argues that, in line with the party’s constitution, he should have assumed leadership following Nwosu’s exit. He subsequently declared himself national chairman and vowed to challenge the Mark-led leadership in court.
In the case filed on September 2, 2025, Bala is seeking an order restraining INEC from recognising the Mark-led executives and compelling the commission to acknowledge him as acting national chairman. He also filed motions to halt party meetings, congresses and conventions pending the outcome of the suit.
When the motion ex parte was heard on September 4, 2025, presiding judge Emeka Nwite directed that the respondents, including INEC, be notified to show cause why the application should not be granted.
Following an interim ruling, Mark appealed, challenging the jurisdiction of the Federal High Court. However, on March 12, 2026, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal, describing it as incompetent and unmeritorious, and directed parties to return to the trial court while maintaining the status quo ante bellum.
Subsequently, on April 1, INEC said it would no longer recognise either the Mark- or Bala-led factions of the ADC, citing the appellate court’s judgement. The commission also said it would refrain from engaging with both factions or monitoring their activities.
In response, the Mark-led faction filed a motion on April 7, through Senior Advocate of Nigeria Sulaiman Usman, seeking an order compelling INEC to restore its recognition and also requesting an accelerated hearing of the case. Mark further filed a preliminary objection, arguing that Bala lacks the locus standi to institute the suit, having allegedly resigned his position.
He described the case as based on “falsehood and suppression of material facts” and argued that it concerns internal party matters that are not justiciable. “This honourable court lacks jurisdiction to entertain this suit. The suit constitutes a gross abuse of court process,” Mark said.
Aregbesola also urged the court to dismiss the suit, maintaining that Bala had resigned to allow for party restructuring and is no longer a member of the national executive committee. He asked the court to award N50 million in costs against Bala.
Similarly, Nwosu filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the suit is premature and that Bala failed to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before approaching the court.
