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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark and National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola have opposed a fresh application by party chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe to amend his claims in the leadership suit filed against them, telling Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that granting the request would occasion a miscarriage of justice.
At the resumed hearing yesterday, Gombe, former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC through his counsel, Lukman Fagbemi, moved an application seeking to further amend the originating summons filed against the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola and others over their emergence as the party’s new national officers.
It would be the third amendment to the suit. Gombe argued he retains the right under law to amend his claims at any point before judgment, anchoring the application on eight grounds and a six-paragraph affidavit.
Mark, represented by Dr Suleiman Umar, opposed the application, arguing that issues had already been joined between the parties and that allowing the amendment at this stage after seeing the strength of the defence already filed would give the plaintiff an undue advantage.
He urged the court to reject the application as prejudicial to his client and contrary to natural justice.
Aregbesola, through his counsel, Realwan Okpanachi, alleged that Gombe had altered the character of his case in the proposed amendments.
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He maintained that, contrary to Gombe’s claims, the ADC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) had changed the party’s national leadership at a NEC meeting on July 29, 2025, after due notice was served on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on July 1 which he said secured the legality of the Mark/Aregbesola leadership.
Aregbesola further noted that Gombe’s original suit had relied on an unsigned copy of the ADC Constitution, and argued that the plaintiff was now seeking to introduce a signed version in the proposed amendments to strengthen his case.
Describing this as bad faith, he urged Justice Lifu to reject the application, submitting that the new claims, documents and exhibits amounted to an abuse of court process particularly given that the amendment was sought after the Supreme Court had ordered accelerated hearing of the matter.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Lifu fixed July 7 to rule on whether the amendments will be allowed.
Gombe is seeking an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and others from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC.
He sued the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, INEC and former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants respectively, arguing that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as national leaders violated the ADC Constitution and the Electoral Act.
