The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed David Mark’s leadership of the ADC, dismissing a suit filed by Rep. Leke Abejide challenging the party’s leadership structure.

In a judgment, Justice Musa Liman dismissed the suit for lacking merit. Abejide had challenged Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as ADC National Chairman and National Secretary.

The judge held that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the ADC, describing the suit as non-justiciable.

He also ruled that Abejide lacked the locus standi to institute the suit, having failed to show that his rights were violated by the emergence of the Mark-led leadership. The court further held that Abejide did not explore the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism.

On the substantive issues, the court ruled in favour of the defendants, holding that the transfer of leadership from Ralph Nwosu to Mark did not breach the ADC Constitution or the Electoral Act.

The court ordered Abejide to pay N2 million in litigation costs to each defendant. It also awarded N10 million in costs against Abejide’s lawyer.

Abejide had filed suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025 on Feb. 15, seeking to nullify the transfer of leadership from Nwosu to Mark and Aregbesola, which he described as unlawful. He joined the ADC, Nwosu, Mark, Aregbesola, and INEC as defendants.