By Onyeanya Immaculata
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday dismissed an application seeking to stop the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Senator David Mark, from holding conventions, congresses or meetings to elect or ratify party executives.
Justice Emeka Nwite refused the ex parte motion filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, holding that granting such relief without hearing from all parties would violate the principle of fair hearing.
The judge noted that all parties were already before the court in the substantive suit and ruled that any interim order could only be considered after the respondents had been heard.
He adjourned the matter to February 3, 2026, for the respondents to show cause.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, lists the ADC, Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as defendants, alongside the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Chief Ralph Nwosu.
Gombe had asked the court to restrain the party from conducting conventions or congresses and to stop INEC from monitoring or recognising such activities, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
Justice Nwite recalled that a similar ex parte application by the claimant had earlier been declined, stressing that justice must be done in the presence of all concerned parties.
