Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to withdraw from a suit challenging the legality of the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ruling that no cogent or verifiable reason had been presented to justify his recusal despite applications filed by most of the defendants seeking his exit from the case. The decision came a day after the judge delivered a controversial judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties for alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements.
Following his refusal to step aside, Justice Lifu fixed June 23 for an accelerated hearing of the suit filed by a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is challenging the legality of the party’s caretaker leadership. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, lists the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and former ADC National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
Gombe is contending that following Nwosu’s resignation, he was entitled under the party’s constitution to assume leadership, and is asking the court to nullify all actions taken by the David Mark-led caretaker committee. He is also seeking orders restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party, respectively, arguing that their emergence violated both the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Although initially filed against five defendants, the suit was joined by the National Welfare Secretary of the party, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who argued that his interests could be affected by the outcome. Ukandu, alongside other defendants, also urged the court to return the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment, citing prior petitions before the Chief Judge and the National Judicial Council concerning the handling of ADC-related disputes.
Justice Lifu dismissed the recusal applications and imposed a ₦500,000 fine each on Senator Mark and Aregbesola. The plaintiff’s counsel, Robert Emukpero (SAN), opposed the applications, describing them as lacking merit and aimed at delaying the substantive hearing, while arguing that no evidence of bias had been shown against the judge.
The matter had earlier been before Justice Emeka Nwite, who paused proceedings pending the outcome of an interlocutory appeal filed by Senator Mark at the Supreme Court challenging the court’s jurisdiction over what he described as an internal party dispute. After the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal on April 30, the plaintiff sought reassignment of the case, citing loss of confidence in the previous judge, leading to Justice Nwite’s withdrawal and the reassignment of the case to Justice Lifu.
With the latest ruling, the court has now cleared the way for an accelerated hearing of the high-profile dispute over the leadership of the ADC.
... Justice Lifu Declines Recusal, Fines Mark and Aregbesola ₦500,000 Each in ADC Leadership Suit ... Naijaonpoint.