A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned indefinitely the suit challenging the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the indefinite adjournment on Friday after hearing arguments from parties involved in the case, particularly over an application seeking the transfer of the matter to another judge.

The suit was filed by Mr. Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, who is contesting the emergence of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as leaders of the party.

In his ruling, Justice Nwite said the court had not been furnished with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the recent Supreme Court judgment connected to the interlocutory appeal in the case.

The judge also noted that Gombe had written to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, John Tsoho, requesting that the case be reassigned to another judge, but the defendants had not been served with the letter.

According to the court, taking any decision on the request without hearing from all parties could amount to a breach of fair hearing.

Justice Nwite subsequently adjourned the matter indefinitely to allow parties file the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment, serve the defendants with the application for transfer and await any directive from the Chief Judge.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, lists the ADC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission and Ralph Nwosu as defendants.

Gombe is challenging the party’s leadership changes, arguing that the appointments of Mark and Aregbesola violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

During proceedings, Gombe’s lawyer, Luka Haruna (SAN), informed the court that the Supreme Court had dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by Mark and lifted the earlier stay of proceedings imposed by the Court of Appeal.

However, defence lawyers opposed moves to transfer the case, describing the application as improper and alleging it amounted to an attempt at “judge shopping.”

Counsel to the ADC, Rilwan Okpanachi, argued that parties were yet to obtain the full Supreme Court judgment and insisted that the request for reassignment should not halt proceedings.

Lawyers representing Mark, Aregbesola and other parties also opposed the application, maintaining confidence in the court’s impartiality and questioning the procedure adopted by the plaintiff in writing privately to the Chief Judge.