ADC Leadership Crisis: Nafiu-Bala Gombe Seeks Indefinite Adjournment as Legal Battle Shifts to Supreme Court

Plaintiff Nafiu-Bala Gombe asks Abuja court to halt the ADC leadership suit indefinitely as the legal battle reaches the Supreme Court ahead of 2027 primaries.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 15, 2026, 6:18 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Leadership

A Strategic Request for Indefinite Delay

The internal legal battle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a new turn on Tuesday as Mr. Nafiu-Bala Gombe prayed the Federal High Court to adjourn his suit "sine die" (indefinitely). Gombe’s lead counsel, Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, argued before Justice Emeka Nwite that since the matter had progressed to the Supreme Court, the lower court is legally bound to pause its proceedings. The suit primarily challenges the current leadership structure of the party as it prepares for the upcoming 2027 electoral cycle.

The Appellate Court’s Intervention

The current push for adjournment follows a March 12, 2026, judgment by the Court of Appeal, which dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by the 2nd defendant, Sen. David Mark. While the appellate court ordered an accelerated hearing of the substantive case, it also issued a "preservatory order" mandating all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum. Despite the order for speed, Fagbemi contended that the subsequent entry of the appeal at the Supreme Court on March 31 effectively stripped the Federal High Court of the jurisdiction to proceed until the apex court decides on the matter.

Defense Vehemently Opposes the "Sine Die" Prayer

The application for an indefinite adjournment met stiff resistance from a coalition of defense lawyers. Representatives for the ADC, Sen. David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and Chief Ralph Nwosu argued that the Federal High Court should proceed immediately. Shaibu Aruwa, SAN, representing the ADC, noted that the Supreme Court had already struck out a motion for a stay of proceedings. He argued that under Section 83(6) of the Electoral Act 2026, the suit is "sui generis" and must be resolved urgently to allow the party to conduct its primaries for the 2027 General Election.