News
ADC leadership: Gombe’s takeover bid intensifies! *Court resumes hearing Tuesday
Legal fireworks will resume before Emeka Nwite, at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Tuesday, April 14 in the attempt by Nafiu Bala Gombe, to take over the leadership of African Democratic Congress (ADC), from David Mark, previously recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Recall that it is against the backdrop that the ADC is currently without any leadership based on the interpretation of the electoral body of the decision of the Court of Appeal, directing all parties in the dispute to maintain status quo ante bellum in the matter.
The commission, had a fortnight ago, stripped Mark and Rauf Aregbesola of recognition, as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively on this account, marking a new turn in the legal issue which erupted after Gombe, former National Vice Chairman, began laying claim to Mark’s position.
His contention, in a suit brought before the court, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listing Mark, Aregbesola INEC, and Ralph Nwosu, the party’s founder and former National Chairman, as defendants, was that having not resigned his position, he ought to have assumed the office after Nwosu’s resignation, in line with the constitution of the party.
Having subsequently pronouncing himself National Chairman, had in the suit, filed on September 2, 2025, sought to restrain INEC from recognising National Working Committee (NWK), led by Mark, a former Senate President.
Based on Gombe’s suit ex-parte, which also sought to stop the party from holding meetings, congresses, or conventions pending the determination of the suit, Nwite, had directed Mark, INEC and others to be put on notice to show cause why the motion should not be granted.
But Mark, unhappy with the decision, had rushed to the appellate court to determine the jurisdiction on Nwite to interfere with the matter, leading to the decision on March 12, 2026, as the court ordered him to return to the lower court, having failed to obtain its leave to file the appeal.
The decision of INEC, which came via a statement on April 1, not to recognise either Mark or Gombe, not only left the ADC in a limbo, but thrown a serious anxiety within the Nigerian polity, leading to a massive protest by the party and supporters, who it as part of their suspicion of a plot by President Bola Tinubu to foist a one-party state in Nigeria by killing all the strong oppositions.
In a motion filed on April 7 by Sulaiman Usman, (SAN), seeking an accelerated hearing of the case, Mark, also urged the lower court to compel INEC to restore his name and that of other members and recognise them as members of the party’s NWC,
Backed with a preliminary objection challenging the competence of the suit, he also argued that Bala lacked the locus standi to institute the action, having resigned his position as national vice-chairman of the party.
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, announced the approval of the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Ebola Virus Disease Preparedness and Emerging Public Health Threats and ordered the immediate release of ₦10 billion as emergency intervention funding.
Bayo Onanuga, presidential spokesman, who conveyed the development to the public, said the fund would strengthen the operational preparedness of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and support critical national public health emergency response activities.
To be chaired by Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff (CoS) to the President, the committee with membership drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and state representatives is also expected to get briefings on their plans to contain the disease.
Onanuga, stated that Tinubu also specifically directed all states hosting international airports and international border corridors, as well as relevant MDAs, to submit their plans, funding requirements and intervention needs for consideration and coordinated implementation.
Stating that the President’s move followed a stakeholder meeting convened under the CoS to review Nigeria’s preparedness and develop strategies against the possible importation of Ebola into the country., the statement informed that the Task Force would also intensify passenger screening at all international airports through enhanced temperature checks and crowd-control protocols.
Other measures would also include enhanced monitoring of passengers arriving through high-risk airline routes, including Air Uganda, Rwanda Air, Air Tanzania, Air Angola, Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines; and the immediate activation of referral and isolation centres at the Lagos and Abuja international airports, with other airports to follow.
Other measures include the mandatory activation of QR code-based pre-arrival health declaration systems for passengers originating from or transiting through designated high-risk countries, as well as the disinfection of departure halls, cargoes, baggage areas and airport facilities as precautionary environmental measures.
The President also directed the advisory group to consult with security, diplomatic and aviation bodies on regulating flights from affected and designated high-risk countries and mandated the task force to designate specific airports or terminals for high-risk flights to enable controlled screening and isolation procedures, and to consider adjusting flight schedules to minimise interaction between high-risk passengers and other travellers.
Justice Akintoye Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos on Tuesday ordered the remand of Paul Jibrin Oweleke in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged cybercrime offences linked to social media broadcasts that allegedly called for overthrow of President Bola Tinubu.
Specifically, Oweleke, in a two-count charge was accused of publishing posts on his online platform known as “Oweleke TV”, urging the Nigerian military to remove the President from office in a manner similar to takeovers in some West African countries, an act the agency said bordered on incitement and the use of a computer system to disseminate content considered prejudicial to national security and constitutional governance.
Oweleke’s broadcasts, the agency stressed, were capable of inciting public disorder and promoting disaffection against the government, which will undermine the country’s democracy.
Legal argument had ensued immediately after Oweleke, pleaded not guilty to the charges, with his lawyer kicking vehemently against the prayer of the agency that the court should order his remand pending the commencement of trial, on the ground that a bail application had already been filed and served on the prosecution.
But Aluko, who was persuaded to grant the prayer, went with the DSS, while adjourning the matter to June 16 for the hearing of the bail application, stating that Oweleke, would remain in the facility of the agency pending the outcome.
By June 29 all medical doctors in public hospitals in Nigeria will drop their stethoscopes and other instruments of healthcare, unless the Federal Government settles all unpaid allowances, salary arrears, delayed training funds, and worsening welfare concerns of its members across the country’s health sector.
This was the notice served to the government on Monday, through The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the umbrella under which the doctors operate, after rising from Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) held in Kano.
In the 21-day ultimatum to the government, the doctors warned that it would not be able to guarantee industrial harmony if the issues remain unresolved within the 21-day period.
In the resolution conveying their position, signed by Mohammad Suleiman, President, Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General, and Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, Publicity and Social Secretary, on Friday, the body regretted that government had failed to fulfil several commitments to doctors despite repeated assurances and engagements.
“The association hereby declares an industrial dispute with the federal government of Nigeria on the outlined matters above and cannot guarantee industrial harmony after the 21-day window period given to address all the demands,” the communique reads.
The association said it is giving the federal government the 21-day window to commence concrete actions towards the development and implementation of a national healthcare workers assault prevention and response protocol
and the initiation of the necessary legislative process to address the menace.
NARD also demanded the release and payment of the 2026 medical residency training fund (MRTF) to all eligible resident doctors nationwide within the next 21 days.
The association questioned the unpaid salary and promotion arrears in several federal and state health institutions, as well as discrepancies in professional allowances reflected in members’ May 2026 salaries.
It highlighted the welfare issues affecting house officers, including salary delays, unpaid arrears, and difficulties with internship placement and onboarding processes that remain unresolved.
It also accused Motunrayo Omidiran, executive chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), of delaying the issuance of letters of compliance to federal health institutions, noting that the delay has hampered recruitment efforts, manpower shortages, and brain drain in the sector.
NARD expressed worries about the increasing assaults, harassment, intimidation, and violent attacks against doctors while on duty, demanding the arrests, investigation, and prosecution of perpetrators.
It called for the establishment of a national healthcare workers’ assault prevention and response protocol within 21 days by the federal government and security agencies.
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