The Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday adjourned indefinitely the suit filed by Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe over the leadership dispute in the African Democratic Party (ADC).
But the party has alleged attempts to manipulate the judiciary following moves by lawyers to Mr. Gombe seeking the reassignment of his suit against the David Mark-led National Working Committee of the party.
A statement issued by the party’s national publicity secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi yesterday described the request to transfer the case to another judge as suspicious and politically motivated.
The ADC said it was “curious, if not outright laughable” that a plaintiff seeking justice would allegedly attempt to delay proceedings in his own case.
Justice Emeka Nwite took the decision after hearing arguments from the plaintiff (Gombe) and the defence lawyers on his application seeking the reassignment of the case to another judge.
“I have listened to the submissions of the learner council of both divisions. From the submissions of both counsel, the Supreme Court has delivered judgment on the interlocutory appeal of the 2nd defendant (Mark) in this matter on 30th April, 2026.
“However, none of the parties has furnished this honourable court with the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment of the Supreme Court.
“Also, from the submissions of both parties, which are also on record, the plaintiff wrote a letter to the Honourable CJ of the Federal High Court seeking the transfer of the instant suit. However, such a letter was neither copied nor served on the defendant.
Taking a decision or any action on such a letter without hearing from the defendants will amount to a breach of their fundamental rights in this suit.
“Also, the letter having been addressed to the Honourable CJ of the court, this Honourable Court cannot make any decision on it. Consequently, this matter is best adjourned sine die (indefinitely) to afford the parties the opportunity to properly file a CTC of the Supreme Court judgment in the interlocutory appeal in this suit, serve the defendants with the letter addressed to the Honourable CJ and finally to await further or any directive from the CJ. This case is hereby adjourned sine die,” the judge ruled.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gombe, the former National Deputy Chairman of ADC, had written a letter to the CJ, Justice John Tsoho, seeking the transfer of his case to another judge.
Gombe, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, had sued ADC, Sen. David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Ralph Nwosu as the 1st to 5th defendants, respectively.
Nwosu was the former ADC National Chairman who stepped down for David Mark’s leadership of the party. Gombe had argued that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s leaders breached the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, Gombe, through his lawyer, Luka Haruna, SAN, informed Justice Nwite about the latest development, following the recent Supreme Court decision. Haruna drew the court’s attention to what transpired before the trial judge on the last adjourned date.
