ADC leadership crisis deepens as court adjourns Sokoto suit to July 22

By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

SOKOTO — The leadership crisis in the Sokoto State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took a fresh turn on Monday as the Federal High Court in Sokoto adjourned proceedings in a suit over the party’s leadership to July 22, 2026.

The court also imposed a ₦500,000 cost on counsel representing the 1st defendant and directed him to reimburse the plaintiff’s counsel for air travel and related expenses upon presentation of valid receipts.

The ruling followed arguments on an application for adjournment filed by counsel to the 1st defendant, Dr. Sulaiman Usman, SAN.

The application was moved by Barrister Salmanu Jabo, who told the court that his principal was unavoidably absent due to engagements relating to the case.

Jabo said he was authorised to announce appearance and seek an adjournment but had no instruction to conduct the substantive hearing.

He argued that several defence processes remained pending and had not been served on all parties, particularly the 4th and 5th defendants, making it inappropriate for the matter to proceed.

According to him, continuing with the hearing without proper service on all parties would violate the constitutional right to fair hearing.

Counsel to the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Prof. Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN, supported the application, urging the court to uphold the principles of justice and procedural fairness.

He argued that parties served with court processes are entitled to adequate time to respond before substantive proceedings continue.

However, counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Mathew Burkaa, SAN, opposed the application, saying he was ready to proceed with the hearing.

He argued that repeated requests for adjournment had delayed the determination of the suit and urged the court to refuse the application.

In his ruling, Justice Ahmad Mahmud Gama granted the application, holding that all parties must first be properly served and given the opportunity to respond before the matter could proceed.

The judge said failure to ensure proper service would breach the principles of fair hearing and undermine the integrity of the judicial process.

Justice Gama, however, awarded ₦500,000 in costs against counsel to the 1st defendant, payable to the court. He also ordered the reimbursement of the plaintiff’s counsel’s air transportation and related travel expenses, subject to the presentation of valid receipts.

Speaking with journalists after the proceedings, Barrister Jabo said the adjournment became necessary because some parties had not been served with key court documents.

The matter was adjourned to July 22, 2026, for further hearing.

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