A federal high court in Abuja has indefinitely adjourned the suit filed by Nafiu Bala, a former deputy national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), challenging David Mark’s leadership of the party.
The presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, ruled on Tuesday that hearing the lawsuit while an interlocutory appeal is still pending before the Supreme Court would amount to “judicial rascality.”
According to the judge, the Supreme Court’s case has the power to resolve the matter at the trial court.
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BACKGROUND
Later, he proclaimed himself national chairman and pledged to take the Mark leadership to court.
In the lawsuit, which was filed on September 2, 2025, Nafiu Bala is requesting an injunction mandating INEC to recognise him as the acting national chairman of the ADC and prohibiting INEC from recognising executives led by Mark.
Additionally, he filed motions to prevent the party from holding congresses, conventions, or gatherings while the lawsuit was being decided.
The presiding judge ordered that the respondents, including INEC, be given notice to demonstrate why the motion ex parte should not be granted once the motion was heard on September 4, 2025.
MARK’S SUIT AT APPEAL COURT
Mark filed an appeal contesting the federal high court’s authority to consider Bala’s lawsuit after being dissatisfied with an interim decision.
However, the court of appeals dismissed Mark’s case in its entirety on March 12, 2026, citing incompetence and lack of merit.
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The parties were instructed by the court of appeals to return to the trial court and preserve the status quo ante bellum while the suit was being decided.
After reviewing the court of appeal ruling, INEC declared on April 1 that it would no longer acknowledge the ADC divisions headed by Mark or Nafiu Bala.
Additionally, the commission declared that it would not monitor the congresses, conventions, or gatherings of either group or interact with them.
FEDERAL HIGH COURT ADJOURNS INDEFINITELY
Lukman Fagbemi, Nafiu Bala’s attorney, stated that an interlocutory appeal resulting from the court’s ruling on February 13 is currently pending before the Supreme Court during the resumed court session on Tuesday.
Fagbemi requested that the court postpone the case until the Mark-led faction’s appeal was heard and decided.
In response, Shuaibu Aruwa, the ADC’s attorney, said that the court could hear the substantive action while it awaited the Supreme Court’s ruling before rendering its own ruling.
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