• Court sets June 3 for hearing in Gombe’s suit against Mark, Aregbesola
• Atiku meets Hayatu-Deen in Lagos amid ADC reconciliation efforts

The factional leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by National Chairman Nafiu Bala ‘Gombe’, has unveiled Prof. Chris Uba as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
  
This was as Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, fixed June 3, 2026, for hearing in a suit he filed seeking to stop David Mark and others from parading themselves as leaders of ADC.
  
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar held a closed-door meeting with his rival, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, at his residence in Lagos
  
The ADC leadership said the presidential ticket was zoned to Southern Nigeria in line with the principles of federal character, equity, fairness and national inclusiveness.
  
Gombe announced Prof Uba during the formal presentation of the party’s presidential and governorship candidates, describing the process as transparent, peaceful and in line with constitutional and electoral provisions.
   
The party noted that the emergence of its candidates followed the successful conclusion of its nationwide primary elections conducted under the consensus arrangement provided for in the Electoral Act 2026.
  
The chairman explained that three party members had initially obtained the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest the presidential election. They included Dr Bashir Sani, Williams Charles and Uba.

The hearing notices for the suit have since been issued and served on the lawyers to the parties in the suit. One of the lawyers confirmed the development.
  
The case, filed by the aggrieved former national deputy chairman of the ADC, was earlier before Justice Emeka Nwite. It was, however, reassigned to Justice Lifu, following Justice Nwite’s recent elevation to the Court of Appeal by the National Judicial Council (NJC) at its 111th meeting on May 13. 
  
In the suit, Gombe seeks an order restraining Mark, Aregbesola and members of their interim National Working Committee (NWC) from parading themselves as the party’s leaders.
  
He had argued that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other NWC members as the party’s leaders breached the provisions of the ADC’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
  
Consequently, he sued the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Ralphs Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants, respectively, in the suit marked:FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025.
  
Nwosu was the former ADC national chairman who stepped down for Mark’s leadership of the party.
  
On April 14, Justice Nwite had adjourned the case sine die (indefinitely) following Gombe’s request to await the Supreme Court’s judgment in the appeal filed by Mark.
  
However, on April 30, the Supreme Court set aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja directing the maintenance of status quo ante bellum in the ADC leadership dispute, which INEC acted on by derecognising the Mark-led leadership of the party.
  
The apex court ordered the parties to return to the FHC for an expeditious hearing of the case filed by Gombe, an aggrieved chieftain of the party.
  
Meanwhile, INEC complied with the Supreme Court judgement by reversing the removal of the Mark-led leadership from the commission’s official portal.
  
When the case came up before Justice Nwite on May 8, following the Supreme Court order, Luka Haruna (SAN), appearing for Mr Gombe, sought the transfer of the case to another judge.
  
Although no reason was given, Haruna said a letter had been written to the CJ to that effect.
  
Lawyers for the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu disagreed with the application.

Sources described Atiku’s meeting with Hayatu-Deen as part of ongoing efforts to reconcile aggrieved members following the party’s presidential primary.
 
 The meeting comes days after the ADC presidential primary, in which Atiku emerged as the party’s flagbearer for the 2027 general election.
  
Hayatu-Deen had contested the primary alongside Atiku and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
   
However, before the official announcement of the results, he announced his withdrawal from the process, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
  
Expressing concern over reports of electoral irregularities across the country, Hayatu-Deen said he had personally witnessed some of the incidents.
   
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” Hayatu-Deen said.
  
Despite his withdrawal, the party later announced the results of the primary, declaring Atiku the winner with 1,846,370 votes. Amaechi came second with 504,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 177,120.
  
Amaechi also rejected the outcome of the exercise, describing the results as “concocted” and alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement during the primary.
  
Since securing the party’s ticket, Atiku has embarked on reconciliatory moves aimed at uniting the party ahead of the 2027 elections.