ADC crisis: Gombe, Mark-led leadership disagree on alleged attempt to frustrate proceedings

Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe and Sen. David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Monday disagreed over allegations of attempt by parties to delay proceedings in the ongoing leadership tussle suit.

The disagreement occurred after Justice Peter Lifu told parties that the court had observed that “some elements do not want the case to go on.”

Responding, Shaibu Aruwa, SAN, who appeared for the ADC, told the court that he knew the person the judge referred to.

“We know them and I can furnish my lord with the name,” he said.

Aruwa then said: ‘It is the plaintiff (Gombe) my lord.”

But Gombe’s counsel, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, disagreed with Aruwa’s submission.

Emukpoeruo accused the defendants’ lawyers of rather frustrating hearing in the suit by filing different motions in disregard to the Supreme Court order.

Emukpoeruo said after the apex court judgement, an order of accelerated hearing was made directing the trial court to expedite hearing in the case.

He, however, said that the defendants’ lawyers served him with their processes late.

“There is a clear calculated attempt by the defence to frustrated the case,” he said.

According to him, any effort to undermine the order of the Supreme Court will be an abuse of court process.

He also made reference to the motions for recusal filed by the defence.

“So it is easier for them to say it is the plaintiff that is frustrating the effort,” he said.

Responding, Realwan Okpanachi, who appeared for Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, said that it was the plaintiff who had disobeyed the apex court order.

“We take serious exception to the plaintiff’s submission my lord. It is the plaintiff that is in disobedience to the Supreme Court order,” he said.

Okpanachi explained that after the Supreme Court judgement directing parties to go back to the trial court for accelerated hearing of the case, they were set for the case before the former judge.

He, however, said that the plaintiff wrote a letter to the chief judge asking for the transfer of the case from Justice Emeka Nwite, the former trial judge.

Also, Peter Oyewole, lawyer to Chief Ralph Nwosu, and Kalu-Kalu Agu, counsel for Mr Nkemakolam Ukandu, ADC’s National Welfare Secretary, who is seeking to be joined in the matter, disagreed with Gombe’s lawyer’s submission.

While Oyewole saud it was wrong for Emukpoeruo to accuse the defence of employing a delay tactic in the matter, Agu asked the plaintiff’s lawyer to retract the statement.

Justice Lifu stood down the matter for a ruling.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Gombe’s suit seeks an order stopping Sen. David Mark-led leadership of ADC from parading themselves as leaders of the party.

He had argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other NWC members as party’s leaders breached the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

Gombe had sued ADC; Mark, the National Chairman; Aregbesola, the National Secretary; Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.

Nwosu was the former ADC National Chairman who stepped down for David Mark leadership of the party.