The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday adjourned a suit filed by Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe, seeking to stop David Mark and others from parading themselves as leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, until June 30.

The matter, which was fixed for hearing of all pending applications, could not proceed.

Earlier when the matter was called, all the lawyers to the parties were present except Mr Suleiman Usman, SAN, counsel for Mark.

With the agreement of counsel, Justice Peter Lifu stood down the matter for 15 minutes to give Usman the opportunity to also be heard, and another case was called pending the senior lawyer’s arrival.

However, after the case ended, Justice Lifu stood down proceedings and rose.

Lawyers were then asked to take another date after waiting for some minutes.

Justice Lifu had, on June 16, fixed Tuesday for hearing of all the pending applications after he dismissed the application seeking his recusal from the case.

The judge, who held that the two motions filed by ADC and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (1st and 3rd defendants) lacked merit, awarded a fine of N1 million each against ADC and Aregbesola, National Secretary of the party, in favour of Gombe.

ADC and Aregbesola had, in separate motions, asked Justice Lifu to withdraw from the suit filed by Gombe, citing alleged bias.

Gombe, in the suit, is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and members of their interim National Working Committee, NWC, from parading themselves as the party’s leaders.

He had argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other interim NWC members breached the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.

Gombe had sued ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.

Nwosu was the former ADC National Chairman who stepped down for the David Mark-led Interim National Working Committee.

Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti on Tuesday received the certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, following his victory in last Saturday’s governorship election.

INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi, who represented INEC Chairman Prof Joseph Amupitan, presented the certificate to Oyebanji at the commission’s state headquarters in Ado-Ekiti.

The REC congratulated the governor on his re-election and commended the people of the state for conducting themselves peacefully throughout the electoral process.

He said the successful conduct of the election reflected the commitment of INEC and other stakeholders to strengthening democratic governance in the state.

Omoseyindemi urged all political actors to continue to uphold democratic values.

The event was attended by party leaders, government officials, traditional rulers and supporters of the governor.

Accord has demanded the immediate removal of the Osun State Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Gotan, citing persistent violence and  killing of its members in the state with no one held accountable .

Accord said that its members are being killed and maimed ahead of the August 15, 2026, governorship election in the state.

Accord, the ruling party in Osun, said it has lost confidence in the ability and capacity of the Commissioner of Police to curb violence and politically motivated killings by political thugs who operate in broad daylight shooting sporadically across the state capital, Osogbo and Ede intimidating, harassing, killing and injuring residents particularly its members and supporters.

The party said it has reported the attacks to the police and the Department of State Services, DSS, but “sadly no arrest has been made let alone prosecuting these criminal elements terrorising the good people of Osun State which give them the audacity and impunity to continue their dastardly acts”.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Joseph Omorogbe, Accord said it has lost a number of “leaders, members and supporters in the state, and several others wounded in the APC orchestrated violence including attacks at the party’s state secretariat, Imole Campaign Council’s office and destruction of campaign billboards in the worst political violence in Osun State”.

“Our hearts still bleed over the gruesome killing of a 14-year-old boy identified as Ezekiel Olapade who was shot dead on Sunday, 21st June 2026, at Ilobu Community of Irepodun Local Government Area of Osun State when political thugs associated with APC shot sporadically around the council’s secretariat when they sighted an Accord member wearing a party cap, in the process killed the boy while attempting to rescue his mother who fell into a ditch as they tried to escape the bullets,” the statement said.

Accord called on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector General of Police, the Director General Department of State Services and the National Security Adviser to intervene and restore public safety and order in the state.

“Accordingly, the Inspector General of Police should as a matter of urgency transfer the Osun State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan for his inability to dispassionately discharge his duties of safeguarding lives and property in the state, and apprehending the known APC thugs perpetrating violence to face the full weight of the law,” it added.

“Politics is not a do-or-die affair. The political ambition of any electoral contestant does not worth the blood of fellow compatriots.

“Accord urges politicians to eschew politics of bitterness and brigandage that impedes the nation’s democracy and embrace issues-based campaigns, and allow the people to choose their governor peacefully. At the end, the ballot is stronger than the bullet.

“Any threat to democratic participation in the August 15 gubernatorial election in the state, is an attack on the nation’s democracy. It must be resisted by all lovers of representative governance.

“Accord will not be cowed by anti-democratic forces that want to destabilise its pro-people governance in Osun State. The party salutes the courage and political sagacity of its governor, His Excellency, Senator Ademola Adeleke for effectively piloting the affairs of the state in spite of provocations by reactionary forces to distract him.

“The good people of Osun State are in one accord to support Governor Adeleke’s transformative leadership. A vote for Accord is a vote for prosperity and good governance.”