Judge to decide on ADC leadership suit June 16

A Federal High Court judge, Justice Peter Lifu sitting in Abuja will on June 16, 2026, decide whether he should continue hearing or withdraw from a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President, David Mark.

Justice Lifu fixed the date on Monday after lawyers representing parties in the case adopted and argued applications seeking his recusal.

The suit was filed by a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is contesting Mark’s position as the party’s national chairman.

The case, opposed by the Mark-led ADC, had earlier gone up to the Supreme Court, which returned it to the Federal High Court on April 30, 2026, for accelerated hearing.

However, the Mark-led ADC has objected to Justice Lifu hearing the matter.

The judge was recently assigned to handle the case following its return from the apex court.

Earlier, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court had on May 8, 2026, adjourned the matter indefinitely after Gombe wrote to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, requesting that the case be transferred to another judge.

Justice Nwite had also directed parties to provide him with a copy of the Supreme Court judgment ordering accelerated hearing of all pending applications in the suit.

The case was later reassigned to Justice Lifu, who assumed jurisdiction on June 3, 2026.

After hearing submissions from counsel, he ordered an accelerated hearing and fixed June 8 for the hearing of all pending applications.

At Monday’s proceedings, heated exchanges occurred while lawyers identified their processes.

Justice Lifu subsequently directed counsel to move their applications seeking his withdrawal from the case over allegations of bias against the Mark-led ADC.

The ADC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu are listed as the 1st to 5th respondents in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.

Apart from Mark and INEC, the other respondents, as well as a party seeking to be joined in the case, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, asked the court to either transfer the matter, stay proceedings, or direct Justice Lifu to recuse himself over alleged bias.

Ukandu’s counsel, Kalu Agu, told the court that petitions against the Chief Judge and Justice Lifu are pending before the National Judicial Council (NJC).

He also cited another suit filed last Thursday at the Federal High Court in Abuja against the NJC, Justice Tsoho and Justice Lifu.

However, counsel to Gombe, Robert Emukpero (SAN), urged the court to dismiss the applications, arguing that there was no evidence of bias against the respondents.

After hearing all parties, Justice Lifu said he would on June 16 rule on whether to withdraw from the case or continue presiding over it.