Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto
The protracted leadership dispute within the Sokoto State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) witnessed another dramatic courtroom twist on Monday as the Federal High Court in Sokoto imposed a N500,000 fine on a defence counsel and adjourned the matter to 22 July 2026.
The ruling followed heated legal arguments among senior advocates representing the various parties in the suit, a case that has continued to attract political attention amid growing realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Presiding over the proceedings, Justice Ahmad Mahmud Gama delivered the decision after considering an application for adjournment brought before the court by counsel representing the 1st defendant.
The application was moved by Barrister Salmanu Jabo, who appeared on behalf of Dr. Sulaiman Usman, SAN, informing the court that his principal was unavoidably absent due to engagements connected with issues relating to the case.
Jabo told the court that although he had authority to represent his principal for the purpose of seeking an adjournment, he was not authorized to proceed with the substantive hearing of the matter.
He further argued that several legal processes filed before the court had not been served on all parties, particularly the 4th and 5th defendants, making it improper for the proceedings to continue.
According to him, proceeding under such circumstances would amount to a denial of fair hearing and could prejudice parties who had yet to receive the relevant court documents.
Counsel for the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Prof. Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN, backed the application and urged the court to grant the request in the interest of justice, equity and fair play.
Abdullahi cited provisions of the Federal High Court Rules, emphasizing that parties served with court processes are entitled to sufficient time to study and respond to them before the matter proceeds.
However, lead counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Mathew Burkaa, SAN, opposed the request, insisting that he was prepared to proceed with the hearing and describing the application as another attempt to delay the case.
Burkaa maintained that the repeated adjournment requests by defence counsel had unnecessarily slowed down the judicial process and urged the court to reject the application.
After listening to submissions from all parties, Justice Gama ruled that proper service of court processes on every party was essential to safeguarding the principles of natural justice and fair hearing.
The judge noted that no party should be denied the opportunity to respond to legal documents filed before the court, stressing that compliance with due process remains fundamental to the administration of justice.
Consequently, the court granted the adjournment and fixed July 22, 2026, for further hearing.
In addition, Justice Gama ordered counsel for the 1st defendant to pay a N500,000 fine to the court and directed that the plaintiff’s counsel be reimbursed for air travel and related expenses upon presentation of valid receipts.
Speaking with journalists after the sitting, Barrister Jabo explained that the application became necessary because some parties had not been served with critical court processes.
He acknowledged the court’s decision, noting that the defence would comply with the order regarding the fine and any verified travel expenses incurred by counsel to the plaintiff, as the legal battle over the ADC leadership in Sokoto moves to its next phase.
