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By John Azu
The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark and the National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, have opposed the fresh attempt by a chieftain of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe to amend claims in the leadership suit filed against them.
Mark and Aregbesola argued before a Federal High Court in Abuja that allowing Gombe to file further amendments would lead to miscarriage of justice.
At the resume hearing of the case on Tuesday, the former National Deputy Chairman, Gombe, through his counsel, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), moved an application seeking amendments to the originating summons he filed against ADC, Mark, Aregbesola and others challenging their emergence as new national officers of the party.
Being the third amendments, Gombe insisted that he has right under the law to effect any amendments that would ensure he gets justice in his suit.
Gombe further predicated the proposed amendments on eight grounds and six paragraph affidavit, maintaining that the law backed his decision as long as judgement has not been delivered in the matter.
However, David Mark represented by Dr Suleiman Umar (SAN) vehemently opposed the granting of the request on several grounds.
The senior lawyer claimed that “parties on record have already joined issues with each other,” stressing that accepting the sought amendments would give “undue and undeserved advantages to the plaintiff” having seen the strength of their defence already filed and served on him.
He urged the court to reject the application as it is detrimental to his client and natural justice.
Aregbesola’s lawyer, Realwan Okpanachi alleged that Gombe had changed the characters of his case against the defendants in the new amendments sought to be approved for him by court.
The former governor of Osun State faulted Gombe’s claims about the new amendments, adding that contrary to his claims, “the National Executive Committee of the ADC changed the national leadership on July 29, 2025 during a NEC meeting.”
He requested the court to reject the proposal on the ground that “in the new claims, different documents and exhibits have been brought into the amendments.”
After taking arguments from parties, Justice Peter Lifu, fixed July 7 for ruling.