High Court in Abuja has dismissed objections filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, against an application by former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Gombe, to amend his claims in the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

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Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Peter Lifu described the objections as frivolous, baseless and lacking merit. The court granted Gombe leave to amend his originating summons and awarded ₦500,000 in costs against Mark and Aregbesola in favour of the plaintiff. The judge held that the amendment was a routine civil procedure aimed at ensuring the plaintiff’s case was properly presented and preventing any miscarriage of justice.

Justice Lifu ruled that the amendment became necessary following Gombe’s change of legal representation and noted that the defendants would not suffer any prejudice since they retained the right to file fresh counter-affidavits and make consequential amendments to their earlier processes. The court further held that it found no basis to conclude that allowing the amendment would overwhelm or jeopardise the defendants’ case.

Mark and Aregbesola had opposed the application, arguing that the parties had already joined issues and that permitting Gombe to amend his claims after reviewing the defendants’ responses would amount to unfair advantage. Aregbesola also contended that the amendments substantially altered the nature of the case, alleging that new claims and documents had been introduced after objections were raised. He maintained that the process which produced him and Mark as national officers complied with the ADC Constitution and the Electoral Act.

However, the court rejected the arguments and allowed the amendments to stand. Newsworld reports that Gombe is challenging the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as ADC national leaders, contending that the process violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act. He is seeking an order restraining them from parading themselves as the party’s national chairman and national secretary while the substantive suit continues before the court.