The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), dealing a significant blow to efforts aimed at challenging the party’s new power structure.
Justice Musa Liman, who delivered the judgment, dismissed a suit instituted by federal lawmaker, Leke Abejide, describing the case as lacking merit and finding no legal basis to invalidate the emergence of Mark and former Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary respectively.
The ruling effectively strengthens the authority of the Mark-led leadership at a critical period for the opposition party, which has witnessed intense political realignments and growing national attention ahead of future electoral contests.
Abejide had approached the court seeking to challenge the legitimacy of the appointments, arguing that the process that produced the new leadership violated the party’s constitution and internal procedures. However, the court rejected the claims, holding that the plaintiff failed to establish sufficient grounds to warrant judicial intervention.
With the judgment, the judiciary has now provided legal backing for the current leadership arrangement, reinforcing the position of David Mark and his allies within the party hierarchy.
Political observers say the verdict is likely to reshape the internal balance of power within the ADC and may discourage further legal battles over the control and direction of the party as preparations intensify for the next electoral cycle.
The decision is expected to bolster confidence among party loyalists aligned with the new leadership while placing additional pressure on dissenting factions to either reconcile or pursue alternative political strategies.