…..Aregbesola seeks N50 million from Gombe for incurred court expenses, inconveniences to defend suit
The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Tuesday, April 14, 2026, for the hearing of a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe seeking to stop the Senator David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) from parading itself as the party’s leaders.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Justice Emeka Nwite fixed the date, following the hearing notices issued to parties in the suit.
Gombe, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, had sued ADC, Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
Justice Nwite had adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely) at the last hearing date to await the decision of the Court of Appeal.
Justice Nwite adjourned the matter indefinitely after counsel for the defendants informed the court of an appeal filed against the lower court order.
However, the Appeal Court, in its March 12, 2026, judgment, ordered the parties to return to the trial court and maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
Against the appellate court’s judgment, INEC, on April 1, 2026, removed the names of Mark and Aregbesola from its official portal and website as ADC’s national chairman and national secretary, respectively.
In reaction to INEC’s kangaroo decision, the Mark-led leadership, in a motion on notice filed on April 7, 2026, by Sulaiman Usman (SAN), prayed the court to order the commission to restore their names as they were, prior to the institution of the suit by Gombe. They also sought an order for an accelerated hearing.
Meanwhile, in line with the spirit and letters of several Supreme Court rulings, and particularly, Section 83(5) of the Electoral Act 2026, Mark and Aregbesola have urged the court “to dismiss the suit for want of jurisdiction.”
This is even as Aregbesola, who said the suit is unmeritorious, sought an order awarding him the sum of N50 million as costs for being inconvenienced to defending the suit.
