Few days after its unveiling as major coalition to challenge President Bola Tibubu’s re-election in three members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have dragged the party’s interim leadership led by former Senate President, David Mark, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
For the record, the legal action was filed on Friday, July 4, two days after its unveiling on Wednesday, July 2, at Yar’Ardua Centre in Abuja, marks the first major legal blow to the ADC coalition of opposition heavyweights, which includes former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flagbearer Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
Incidentally, the ADC was recently unveiled as the new political vehicle to rally opposition forces and challenge President Tinubu- led All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections.
As part of that move, Mark was named interim national chairman, ex-Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola became interim national secretary, and while the former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi emerged as spokesperson.
But the legality of party’s status is now being challenged in the court of law
In suit number marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1328/2025, the plaintiffs — Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila — are asking the court to nullify the appointments of Mark, Aregbesola, and Abdullahi, describing them as “unconstitutional, unlawful, null, and void.”
The trio contends that Ralph Nwosu, the former national chairman of the ADC, had no legal right to convene any meeting or appoint interim leaders, as his tenure had expired before the controversial appointments were made.
They are also seeking an order to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the interim leadership, insisting that the process that produced them is fundamentally flawed.
It is instructive to note that the latest development threatens to derail the fragile opposition unity, barely a month after political gladiators across party lines announced their intention to forge a common front against Tinubu’s ruling party.
Political observers say the court battle could deepen internal wrangling within the ADC and test the resilience of the broader opposition coalition.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
