AfriPulse
The Nafiu Bala faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked the David Mark-led leadership of the party to suspend the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms.
Naija News reports that the faction said the sale should stop pending the determination of the leadership suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The development came as the court adjourned indefinitely the leadership suit filed by Bala after the plaintiff applied for the transfer of the case to another judge.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, May 8, 2026, the Secretary of the ADC Board of Trustees, Rufus Akanmi, said the directive was part of resolutions reached at the party’s BoT meeting held on Thursday.
Akanmi warned that anyone who proceeds to purchase nomination forms despite the directive would be doing so at their own risk.
He said, “All parties concerned are directed to immediately suspend the sale/purchase of such forms pending the final determination of the matter presently before the Federal High Court.
“It is expressly stated that any person who proceeds to purchase the said forms does so at their own risk, and the African Democratic Congress shall not accept any liability or responsibility for consequences arising therefrom.”
The faction also commended the Supreme Court for its April 30, 2026, judgment, describing it as a landmark contribution to constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
Akanmi urged coalition members within the party and the Mark-led faction to set aside partisan interests and work with the Gombe-led leadership in the interest of unity.
He said such cooperation was necessary to ensure the party’s effective participation in the forthcoming general elections and the emergence of credible candidates at all levels.
Akanmi added, “The Board hereby directs the National Working Committee to constitute Caretaker Committees in all states where the tenure of the current State Executive Committees has expired, to ensure continuity and stability in party administration at the grassroots level.
“We further direct the National Working Committee to immediately initiate processes for the convening of a Mini National Convention, for the purpose of filling all vacant positions arising from the recent resignation of certain members of the NWC, in accordance with the Constitution of the party.”
Court Adjourns Suit Indefinitely
Meanwhile, proceedings in the substantive leadership suit suffered another setback on Friday after Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja adjourned the matter indefinitely.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, had earlier been stalled following an interlocutory appeal filed by David Mark, which eventually went to the Supreme Court.
At Friday’s proceedings, counsel for the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, told the court that the Supreme Court had dismissed the interlocutory appeal on April 30 for lacking merit and set aside the Court of Appeal’s order staying proceedings in the substantive suit.
Haruna said, “The interlocutory appeal of the 2nd defendant has travelled to the Supreme Court. My Lord, we are glad to inform this honourable court that on the 30th day of April 2026, the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on the interlocutory appeal dismissing the said appeal for lacking in merit.”
Plaintiff Seeks Transfer To Another Judge
Haruna, however, disclosed that the plaintiff had, through a letter dated May 4, 2026, applied to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for the transfer of the case to another judge.
He said the letter had been sent to the court registrar and urged Justice Nwite to await the administrative decision of the Chief Judge.
“At this juncture, we must humbly pray to your Lordship to wait for the administrative decision of the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” Haruna said.
The request was opposed by the defence team, which accused the plaintiff of attempting to frustrate the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the Court of Appeal and upheld by the Supreme Court.
Counsel for the first defendant, Realwan Okpanachi, who held brief for S.E. Aruwa, argued that the plaintiff misrepresented the outcome of the Supreme Court judgment.
He said the apex court partially allowed the appeal and upheld the order for accelerated hearing.
Okpanachi also faulted the plaintiff for allegedly ambushing the defendants with the transfer request.
He said, “We have not received any communication regarding that application. My Lord, so as it is, we don’t know the form or the content of that application. Therefore, we take the approach of the plaintiff as an ambush.
“We also consider it as an attempt to frustrate the order of accelerated hearing granted by the Court of Appeal and upheld by the Supreme Court.”
Counsel for the second defendant, Sulaiman Usman, also condemned the plaintiff’s move, describing it as “forum shopping and judge shopping.”
Usman said the Supreme Court had commended Justice Nwite “in glowing terms” over his handling of the proceedings.
“So my Lord, for the plaintiffs to come back to this court, and to inform us today that they have written a private correspondence to the Honourable Chief Judge, and to hinge that to make a request for this court to await the outcome of that private correspondence, is not only unfortunate My Lord, but a dangerous trend which must not be allowed to stand,” he said.
Judge Awaits Chief Judge’s Directive
Counsel for the third defendant, M.E. Sherriff, aligned with the submissions of the first and second defendants, arguing that substantive prayers could not be sought through ordinary letters.
Counsel for the fifth defendant, P.I. Oyewole, described the application as “strange” and accused the plaintiff of inviting the Chief Judge “to indulge in judicial rascality.”
“My Lord, asking the Chief Judge to transfer that kind of case is worse than forum shopping,” Oyewole argued.
Responding, Haruna faulted the defence for attacking a letter they had not seen, insisting that the plaintiff stood by its application.
Justice Nwite held that the court could not take any action on the letter without hearing all parties.
He ruled, “Taking a decision or any action in such a letter without hearing from the defendants will amount to breach of their fundamental right in this suit.”
The judge said that since the letter was addressed to the Chief Judge, the trial court could not make any pronouncement on it.
“This matter is best adjourned sine die to afford the parties properly file a Certified True Copy of the judgment of the Supreme Court in the interlocutory appeal in the suit, to serve the defendants with the letter addressed to the Honourable Chief Judge, and finally to await further or any directive from the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court,” Justice Nwite said.
The matter was thereafter adjourned indefinitely.
Source: Naijanews.com | Read the Full Story…
