The Federal High Court in Ibadan has adjourned a suit challenging the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidacy in Oyo State to September 30, 2026. Justice Uche Agomoh postponed the hearing after parties raised fresh applications and flagged issues regarding the service of court processes during the Tuesday session.
Background of the ADC Governorship Primary Dispute
The legal action stems from events following the ADC governorship primary held on May 22, 2026. According to the plaintiff's counsel, Monday Mawah, Dr Gbemileke Alagbe won the primary contest, which featured four aspirants. However, certain party members began moves to replace his name with that of another aspirant who did not win the primary.
Speaking outside the courtroom, Mawah explained that the case was triggered by these developments. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) subsequently published the name of a different aspirant, Adegboyega Adegoke, as the ADC candidate for the governorship election. This publication deepened the dispute and formed a core part of the plaintiff's case.
INEC Publication and Legal Maneuvers
Mawah noted that Adegoke had previously applied to be joined as a party to the suit, an application the plaintiffs did not oppose. However, at the Tuesday hearing, Adegoke withdrew that application. The adjournment was also partly due to one of the parties informing the court that he had not yet been served with the relevant court processes, which the judge took into account before fixing the new date.
The case will return before Justice Agomoh on September 30, 2026, when the substantive hearing is expected to proceed. The court's decision to adjourn allows time for all parties to address the procedural issues raised, ensuring a fair hearing of the substantive dispute over the ADC governorship candidacy in Oyo State.
