- Safiu Kehinde
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has debunked claims of a Federal High Court order barring former Senate President, David Mark, and former Osun state governor, Rauf Aregbesola, from parading themselves as the party’s National leaders.
Reports emerging from an order of injunction filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the factional leader of the ADC, Nafiu Bala Gombe, alleged that the court had granted the injunction.
In reaction, the ADC, in a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, debunked the reports.
The party clarified that Federal High Court in Abuja did not issue any order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from acting as its National Chairman and National Secretary.
According to the statement, the court had, in its September 4 ruling presided over by Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, refused the ex-parte application filed by Nafiu.
Abdullahi said the court rather ordered that the defendants be put on notice and adjourned the matter to September 15, 2025.
The ADC spokesperson held that resorting to fake news has become the last resort of desperate political jobbers who had been disappointed by the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to acknowledge the leadership change in the party.
Abdullahi urged the media and the public to beware of fake news and to verify information to avoid misleading Nigerians.
The statement read; “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) wishes to set the record straight regarding false reports currently circulating in the media about the recent ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, concerning the leadership of our great party.
“Contrary to some misleading publications, the court did not issue any order restraining Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from functioning as the National Chairman and National Secretary of the ADC, respectively. Instead, the Honourable Court refused the ex-parte application brought by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe and directed that the matter proceeds with due process.
“The ruling, delivered by Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite on September 4, 2025, clearly stated the following four orders:
1. That the Plaintiff/Applicant’s application dated and filed on September 2, 2025, is refused.
2. That the Plaintiff/Applicant is hereby directed to put the Defendants on notice.
3. That the Defendants/Respondents are ordered to appear before this Honourable Court to show cause why the application should not be granted.
4. That the case is adjourned to September 15, 2025, for the Defendants/Respondents to show cause.
“The Order was duly signed and issued by Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, Presiding Judge, and certified by Kasope Kafayat Bola, Registrar of the Federal High Court.
“Having failed to stop INEC from acknowledging the leadership change in ADC, the political Jobbers are now resorting to fake news.
“This goes to show that these agents of destablisation will stop at nothing, including misrepresenting court rulings, in their desperate efforts to sow confusion and further undermine opposition parties.
“In this regard, the leadership of the ADC urges members of the press and the general public to be vigilant and be wary of fake news and inaccurate reports characteristic of the ruling party and their agents.”