A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed an accelerated hearing in the ongoing legal battle challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the ruling on Wednesday, fixing June 8 for the hearing of all pending applications in the case. The court also ordered all parties to exchange legal documents within 48 hours and directed that hearing notices be served on all interested parties within 24 hours.
The dispute, which centres on the legitimacy of the ADC leadership, has moved through multiple courts, including the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which recently ordered that the case be returned to the trial court for expedited hearing.
The Supreme Court had dismissed an appeal filed by David Mark challenging an earlier ruling that directed parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case.
At the heart of the suit is a challenge filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to stop the Mark-led leadership from presenting itself as the authentic leadership of the party. He is also asking the court to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the current leadership structure.
Previous proceedings were delayed following jurisdictional challenges and a request for case reassignment, but the matter has now been reassigned and placed on a fast-track hearing schedule following judicial directives.
The court’s latest order signals an attempt to bring swift resolution to the prolonged internal leadership crisis within the ADC.
