By Peter Omopo
Abuja | September 11, 2025 – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed reports claiming that a court injunction was granted against its National Chairman, Senator David Mark, and National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, describing them as fake news.
In a statement on Thursday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bola Abdullahi said the false reports emerged after attempts to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the party’s new leadership failed.
“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,” Abdullahi clarified. “Instead, the Honourable Court refused the ex-parte application brought by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe and directed that the matter proceed with due process.”
According to Abdullahi, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on September 4, 2025, ruled that the application filed by Gombe was refused, directing that the defendants be put on notice. The judge further ordered the parties to appear on September 15, 2025, to show cause.
The ADC stressed that the ruling was being misrepresented to mislead the public. “Having failed to stop INEC from acknowledging the leadership change in ADC, the political jobbers are now resorting to fake news,” Abdullahi said. “This shows how far these agents of destabilisation are willing to go in their desperate efforts to sow confusion and undermine opposition parties.”
The clarification follows INEC’s formal recognition of Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of the ADC on Wednesday, a decision that deepened the party’s leadership crisis. A faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe had earlier claimed it obtained a restraining order against the duo, a claim now dismissed as false.
The ADC leadership urged the public and the media to remain vigilant against misinformation, warning that deliberate distortions were being used to destabilise opposition voices in the country.
