The Federal High Court sitting in Sokoto has dismissed a suit filed by a former Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state, Umar Faruk, challenging the party’s leadership structure.
Justice Ahmad Gama dismissed the suit on Friday for lack of merit and evidence, resolving the four reliefs sought by the plaintiffs in favour of the respondents.
Faruk and others had instituted the suit in July, alleging that new entrants into the party had hijacked its structure in Sokoto State.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to restore Faruk as the substantive chairman of the party in the state.
However, after listening to arguments from counsel for both parties, Justice Gama held that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of a political party.
The judge also faulted the plaintiffs for failing to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before approaching the court.
He further noted that the plaintiffs had failed to establish that their fundamental human rights had been violated.
Reacting to the judgment, counsel for the respondents, Suleiman Usman, SAN, described the ruling as sound and commendable.
Usman said the judge had demonstrated neutrality in handling the case, stressing that litigants must support their claims with substantial evidence.
“A litigant cannot win a case without proving it with substantial evidence,” he said.
He commended the court for its decision, adding that the judgment would contribute to strengthening democratic institutions and the rule of law in Nigeria.
According to him, the ruling has broader implications for the country’s democratic development and constitutional jurisprudence.
“The judgment has deepened our democratic system and constitutional jurisprudence in the country,” Usman said.
He maintained that the decision reinforced the importance of presenting credible evidence and following due process when seeking judicial intervention in disputes.
The suit arose from disagreements over the leadership structure of the ADC in Sokoto State, with Faruk and the other plaintiffs seeking judicial intervention to reclaim control of the party’s state leadership.