A Federal High Court in Abuja has again adjourned indefinitely the leadership dispute involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after the plaintiff, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, applied for the transfer of the case to another judge.
Justice Emeka Nwite ordered the matter adjourned sine die following disagreements among parties over a letter written by the plaintiff to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court seeking reassignment of the suit.
At the resumed hearing on Friday, counsel for the plaintiff, Luka Haruna, informed the court that the Supreme Court had dismissed an interlocutory appeal filed by the second defendant, David Mark, and lifted the stay of proceedings previously granted by the Court of Appeal.
Haruna, however, disclosed that the plaintiff had also submitted a letter dated May 4 requesting that the case be transferred to another judge, urging the court to await the decision of the Chief Judge on the request.
The application was strongly opposed by defence lawyers, who accused the plaintiff of attempting to delay proceedings and engage in “forum shopping.”
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Counsel for the first defendant, Realwan Okpanachi, argued that the defendants had not been served with the transfer request and described the move as an ambush aimed at frustrating the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the appellate court.
Lawyers representing the other defendants also faulted the plaintiff’s action, insisting litigants could not choose judges to handle their cases.
In his ruling, Justice Nwite held that the court could not take any decision on the transfer request without hearing all parties, adding that the matter was best adjourned indefinitely pending further directives from the Chief Judge and the filing of the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment.
Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie
