Fresh drama unfolded at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday as lawyers representing rival factions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) traded accusations over the prolonged leadership dispute rocking the party.
The heated exchange occurred before Justice Peter Lifu after the judge observed that there appeared to be efforts by some persons to slow down the hearing of the case.
According to proceedings in court, counsel to the ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), insisted that the camp of the plaintiff, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, was responsible for delaying the matter. He told the court that those behind the alleged moves were known and could be identified.
However, Gombe’s lawyer, Robert Emukpoeruo (SAN), rejected the allegation. He argued that the defence team had instead been filing several applications that were preventing the speedy hearing earlier directed by the Supreme Court.
The senior lawyer maintained that after the apex court ordered an accelerated hearing of the dispute, all parties were expected to cooperate to ensure a quick resolution. He alleged that the defence served some of its court processes late and accused it of frustrating proceedings.
Emukpoeruo also referred to applications seeking the recusal of the trial judge, arguing that such moves could further delay the determination of the suit. According to him, any attempt to work against the Supreme Court’s directive would amount to an abuse of the court process.
But lawyers representing other defendants strongly disagreed with his position.
Counsel to former Osun State governor and ADC National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, told the court that it was the plaintiff who had failed to comply with the spirit of the Supreme Court’s order.
He recalled that after the judgment of the apex court, parties had been ready to continue the case before the previous trial judge before a request was made for the matter to be transferred to another court.
Lawyers representing former ADC National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, and the party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who is seeking to join the suit, also faulted the plaintiff’s claims. They argued that the defence had not employed any delay tactics and challenged the allegations made against them.
Following the arguments from both sides, Justice Lifu stood down the matter to deliver a ruling.
The suit was filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, who is asking the court to stop the Senator David Mark-led leadership from acting as the party’s national executives.
Gombe is challenging the emergence of Mark as National Chairman and Aregbesola as National Secretary, insisting that the process that brought them into office violated the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, lists the ADC, David Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and former party chairman Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
