Sokoto Federal High Court Dismisses Suit Challenging ADC State Leadership

The Federal High Court in Sokoto has dismissed a suit filed by Umar Faruk, a former chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State, challenging the party’s leadership structure.

Justice Ahmad Gama dismissed the suit on Friday, October 16, 2026, ruling against the plaintiffs on all four reliefs they sought.

Faruk and other plaintiffs filed the suit in July, alleging that new entrants into the party had taken control of its structure in Sokoto State. They asked the court to recognise Faruk as the substantive state chairman.

In his ruling, Justice Gama held that the plaintiffs had failed to establish sufficient grounds for the reliefs sought. The court also found that they had not exhausted the party’s internal dispute-resolution procedures before seeking judicial intervention.

The judge further held that the plaintiffs had not established 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 commended the court for its handling of the case.

Usman said litigants must substantiate their claims with credible evidence, adding that allegations alone are insufficient to secure a favourable judgment.

“A litigant cannot win a case without proving it with substantial evidence,” he said.

He argued that the judgment reinforced the importance of due process and could contribute to the development of Nigeria’s democratic institutions and constitutional jurisprudence.

The case arose from a dispute over the leadership of the ADC in Sokoto State, with Faruk and the other plaintiffs seeking judicial recognition of his claim to the party’s state chairmanship.