A Federal High Court in Sokoto has dismissed a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, ruling that the plaintiffs failed to establish sufficient grounds for their claims.

The suit was filed by Umar Faruk, a former state chairman of the party, and others who sought to reclaim control of the party’s structure amid an internal leadership dispute.

The plaintiffs had approached the court in July, seeking an order to restore Faruk as the substantive state chairman over allegations that new entrants had hijacked the party’s structure.

However, Justice Ahmad Gama dismissed the suit on Friday for lack of merit and evidence, ruling against the plaintiffs on all four reliefs they sought.

The judge held that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of a political party.

He also faulted the plaintiffs for failing to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before seeking judicial intervention.

The court further ruled that the plaintiffs had not established that their fundamental human rights were violated.

Reacting to the judgment, counsel to the respondents, Suleiman Usman, SAN, described the decision as sound and commendable.

He said the judge had demonstrated neutrality in handling the case, stressing that parties seeking judicial remedies must substantiate their claims with credible evidence.

“A litigant cannot win a case without proving it with substantial evidence,” he said.

Usman added that the decision would contribute to strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law in Nigeria.

“The judgment has deepened our democratic system and constitutional jurisprudence in the country,” he said.

The dispute stemmed from disagreements over the leadership structure of the ADC in Sokoto State, with Faruk and the other plaintiffs seeking judicial intervention to reclaim control of the state chapter.

The court’s decision underscores the legal hurdles facing party members who seek judicial intervention in internal leadership disputes without first exhausting the dispute-resolution mechanisms available within their parties.