The Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned indefinitely a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark.

Presiding judge, Emeka Nwite, ordered the adjournment of the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, following a request by the plaintiff to have the matter reassigned to another judge.

Counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, informed the court that a formal letter dated May 4, 2026, had been submitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court seeking the transfer of the case.

Haruna further disclosed that the Supreme Court of Nigeria had, on April 30, dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by Mark and vacated an earlier stay of proceedings issued by the Court of Appeal, thereby clearing the way for the substantive suit to proceed.

The transfer request, however, drew strong opposition from the defence team. Counsel to the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, described the move as an attempt at “forum shopping and judge shopping,” while P.I. Oyewole, representing the fifth defendant, accused the plaintiff of inviting the Chief Judge to engage in “judicial rascality.”

In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court could not act on the transfer application without first hearing all parties, noting that doing so could infringe on the defendants’ fundamental rights.

He consequently adjourned the matter sine die to allow parties to file the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment and ensure proper service of the transfer request on all defendants. The court also stated it would await further directives from the Chief Judge regarding the reassignment request.

The suit was instituted by ADC chieftain, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is seeking to restrain Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and others from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

The plaintiff maintains that their emergence contravenes the party’s constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.