Politics
ADC: Court announces new date for Nafiu Bala’s suit against Mark, Aregbesola
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 3 for hearing in a suit filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, seeking to stop David Mark and others from parading themselves as leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, hearing notices have since been issued and served on lawyers to the parties in the suit.
The case, filed by the aggrieved former National Deputy Chairman of ADC, was earlier before Justice Emeka Nwite of a sister court.
The matter was, however, reassigned to Justice Lifu, following Justice Nwite’s recent elevation to the Court of Appeal.
The National Judicial Council, NJC, at its 111th meeting on May 13, had recommended the appointment of 12 new justices of the Court of Appeal, including Justice Nwite, to President Bola Tinubu for approval.
Gombe, in the suit, is seeking an order restraining ADC National Chairman, Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the National Secretary, and members of the interim National Working Committee, NWC, from parading themselves as the party’s leaders.
He had argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other NWC members as party’s leaders 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 David Mark leadership of the party.
Justice Nwite had, on April 14, adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely) following Gombe’s request to await the Supreme Court’s judgment in the appeal filed by Mark.
However, the Supreme Court, on April 30, set aside the order made by the Court of Appeal in Abuja ordering the maintenance of status quo ante bellum in the leadership dispute in ADC, on which INEC acted in derecognising the Mark-led leadership of the party.
The apex court ordered the parties to return to the FHC for expeditious hearing of the case filed by Gombe, an aggrieved chieftain of the party.
INEC had, since, complied with the Supreme Court judgment by reversing the removal of Mark-led leadership from the commission’s official portal.
When the case came up on May 8 before Justice Nwite following the Supreme Court order, Luka Haruna, SAN, who appeared for Gombe, sought the transfer of the case from Nwite to another judge.
Although no reason was given, Haruna said a letter had been written to the CJ to the effect.
But lawyers to the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu, disagreed with the application.
ADC’s counsel, Rilwan Okpanachi; Suleiman Usman, SAN, who appeared for Mark; Mohammed Sheriff, who represented Aregbesola; P. I. Oyewole, counsel for Chief Ralph Nwosu, and other lawyers in the case vehemently opposed Gombe’s request for the case transfer.
The lawyers, who said that Gombe’s letter had not been served on them, described Haruna’s application as “an ambush”.
They also considered the request as an attempt to frustrate the order of Appeal Court for accelerated hearing which was sustained by the Supreme Court.
The defence lawyers, who described Gombe’s application as ‘forum shopping,” said the only good thing the application for the transfer of the matter had achieved was that the integrity of the court had been confirmed.
They said this was so because nothing tangible had happened since the last adjournment.
The lawyers said they maintained absolute confidence in the integrity, impartiality and sound judicial discretion of Justice Nwite’s court.
“The so-called letter in a normal view, is a fundamental breach of procedure, amounting in law to an illegality and not a mere irregularity,” they argued.
They said they would have insisted that the court should go on with the hearing but for a certified true copy, CTC, of the Supreme Court judgment which was yet to be obtained, in order for the trial court to be properly guided by it.
They, therefore, sought an indefinite adjournment to enable them furnish the judge with the CTC of the judgment and Justice Nwite adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely), pending when its CTC is gotten.
NAN reports that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as ADC presidential candidate on May 27 after defeating two other aspirants, including Rotimi Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, at the party’s national convention.
Also, Dumebi Kachikwu, in a national convention conducted by another faction of ADC, emerged the presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 general election.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the party was adopted by factional members of the party as sole presidential candidate on May 24.
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Politics
2027: Nafiu Bala ADC faction elects Prof Chris Uba as presidential candidate
A faction of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, led by Nafiu Bala, has declared a businessman, Prof Chris Uba, as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
DAILY POST reports that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar last week emerged as the presidential candidate of the party after beating ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in a primary election held across the country.
However, the Bala-led faction on Sunday also presented flags to 29 governorship candidates across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The party’s factional National Chairman, Bala, while speaking during the formal presentation of the candidates in Abuja, said the presidential ticket was zoned to Southern Nigeria in line with the principles of equity, fairness, inclusiveness and federal character.
Bala said three aspirants initially purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest for the presidential ticket.
“They were Dr Bashir Sani, Prince Williams Charles and Prof. Chris Uba,” he said.
According to him, the party adopted the consensus option provided under the Electoral Act, leading to the emergence of Uba as its sole presidential candidate after the withdrawal of the other aspirants.
“In adherence to the principle of federal character and in accordance with Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as amended, which recognizes consensus as a lawful mode for the selection or nomination of candidates by political parties, the African Democratic Congress adopted consensus as the method for its presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly primary election.
“Pursuant to this provision and in the interest of party unity, two of the party’s presidential aspirants voluntarily withdrew from the contest and endorsed Prof. Chief Chris Uba as the party’s sole presidential candidate.
“Consequently, Prof. Uba has been duly returned as the consensus candidate and duly elected to represent ADC as its presidential flagbearer in the 2027 general elections,” he added.
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Politics
2027: Odii remains Ebonyi PDP governorship candidate – Idika
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and factional National Ex-Officio member of the party, Mazi Moses Idika, has dismissed calls for the party’s 2027 governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, to step down on the grounds of zoning, insisting that the businessman and philanthropist remains firmly in the race.
Idika argued that the governorship position in Ebonyi State has historically been contested by candidates from different senatorial districts and that no constitutional provision prevents any qualified citizen from seeking the office.
According to him, elections conducted in the state since 1999 have featured candidates from across Ebonyi North, Central and South senatorial districts, regardless of political arrangements or zoning considerations.
He maintained that Chief Odii’s ambition is legitimate and should be determined by the electorate through the ballot box rather than by what he described as an “imaginary zoning system.”
Idika further challenged supporters of Governor Francis Nwifuru’s re-election bid to highlight the administration’s achievements rather than focus on succession politics.
He also accused the state government of failing to address critical developmental challenges facing the state, while expressing confidence that Odii would offer an alternative vision centred on investment, industrialisation and economic growth.
The PDP stalwart described Odii as a patriotic leader committed to improving the welfare of Ebonyi people and opening the state to greater economic opportunities.
“Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii will contest, he will win, and Ebonyi people will be happy again,” Idika stated.
He urged Ebonyi residents to decide the state’s next governor through democratic means during the 2027 governorship election.
The statement comes amid growing political activities and realignments among political parties in Ebonyi State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Politics
Labour Party affirms Ishaku Abbo as Adamawa guber candidate
The Labour Party, LP, has affirmed a former senator, Ishaku Abbo, as its governorship candidate for the 2027 general elections in Adamawa.
The party also unveiled candidates for the three senatorial districts, eight House of Representatives seats and 25 House of Assembly constituencies in Adamawa.
The affirmation took place during the party’s primary election and candidate affirmation exercise on Sunday, in Yola.
Mr Sam Ochiama, Chairman of the Labour Party Primary Election Committee, said the exercise complied with the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution.
Ochiama said candidates who emerged unopposed were affirmed through voice votes by delegates and party stakeholders.
He announced Mr Emmanuel Musa as the party’s candidate for Adamawa Central Senatorial District.
According to him, Musa was the sole aspirant for the position and received overwhelming support during the affirmation process.
Ochiama also declared Mr Peter Fwa as the party’s candidate for Adamawa South Senatorial District and Mr Dawuda Mohammed as the party’s candidate for Adamawa North Senatorial District.
The committee chairman also unveiled the party’s candidates for the eight House of Representatives seats.
He similarly announced the 25 candidates selected to contest seats in the Adamawa House of Assembly.
He expressed optimism that the Labour Party would mount a strong challenge in the 2027 elections and urged members to remain united and strengthen grassroots mobilisation ahead of the polls.
He stressed the need for cooperation among party faithful to ensure success at all levels of the election.
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