A high court in Adamawa State, Nigeria, has begun hearing a lawsuit filed by a group of ousted state executives from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) party. The former executives, led by Shehu Yohanna, are seeking to overturn their removal from office by a new steering committee appointed by the party’s national leaders. They claim their removal was unlawful and premature, as their four-year term had not expired.
The plaintiffs have named several defendants, including Umar Sulaiman, Sadiq Dasin, Saidu Komsiri, Babachir Lawal, the ADC National Working Committee (NWC), and Senator David Mark. The defendants’ counsel, Ibrahim Effiong, has filed a preliminary objection, arguing that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case, as it is an internal party dispute.
The court has ordered the defendants to file their statement of defence, allowing both the objection and the substantive matter to be heard on the next adjourned date, set for the 20th of the month. According to the plaintiffs’ counsel, Yakubu Philemon, the court is being asked to grant an order of interim injunction to restore the executives to their positions.
The defendants’ counsel maintains that the court should not interfere in the internal affairs of the ADC, as the dispute is a party matter. The case highlights the ongoing power struggle within the ADC, which has been plagued by internal conflicts and leadership disputes.
The Adamawa State High Court’s decision will have significant implications for the party’s leadership and the future of the ousted executives. The court’s ruling will determine whether the removal of the executives was lawful and whether they will be reinstated to their positions. As the case progresses, it is likely to attract attention from political observers and party members, who will be watching closely to see how the dispute is resolved.
