Yohanna’s exco gone: A legal opinion of court verdict on Adamawa ADC leadership suit
By G. D. Kadabiyu, Esq
In my attempt to set the record straight after being prodded by many interested parties to give my opinion on the recent judgement by an Adamawa High Court sitting in Yola, I decided to pen down this little disquisition to address the growing concerns and anxiety with the hope that the matter will finally be laid to rest.
In my opinion, the leadership crisis rocking the Adamawa State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been finally settled with that landmark judgement of 27 November 2025 by Justice Benjamin Manji, who took time to do real justice to all the issues brought before him for consideration.
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The ruling which effectively addressed both procedural jurisdiction and merits of the case brought by the now former chairman of the party, Shehu Yohanna Kambile and his secretary is a good omen for the party as it has marked the end a crisis chapter having established those who should legally run the affairs of the party as the next cycle of election sets in.
While delivering the judgement, Justice Manji declared that despite instituting the court action, Shehu Yohanna Kambile has failed to support his claims to the chairmanship of the party with facts, law, or the provisions of the ADC constitution.
In his legal action, instituted on 24 October 2025, Shehu Yohanna Kambile has sought declaratory reliefs to validate his tenure and nullify the constitution of new interim leadership committees inaugurated by the ADC National Working Committee (NWC).
He specifically asked the court to determine whether the NWC, acting through certain national officers, had the legal authority to dissolve his executive committee before the expiration of its tenure in 2026.
Court upholds preliminary objection – Says matter is internal party affair
In its judgment, the High Court upheld the preliminary objections filed by the defendants, ruling that the case fell squarely within the category of intra-party disputes, matters over which courts traditionally lack jurisdiction unless they concern breach of constitutional rights or violations of electoral laws.
However, the Court, being a court of first instance, proceeded to examine the substantive issues presented in the suit.
On the merits: Plaintiffs failed to establish their case
But After a detailed review of affidavits, documentary evidence, and constitutional provisions of the ADC, the court reached a definitive conclusion: stating explicitly that Yohanna Shehu Kambile failed to prove the legality of his continued claim to the chairmanship of the party.
The Court held that evidence presented by the defendants particularly those led by Barr. Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin (Chairman, Transition Electoral/Congress Committee) and Mallam Saidu Komsiri (Interim Caretaker Chairman), demonstrated that the ADC National Working Committee validly exercised its powers under the party constitution when it constituted an interim leadership for Adamawa State.
The judgment further clarified that while the second defendant, Barr. Dasin, chaired the Transition Electoral/Congress Committee, only, the third defendant, Mallam Saidu Komsiri, was properly sworn in as the Interim Chairman of the party in the state. This distinction, the court emphasized, must be respected to ensure orderly administration within the ADC.
It means Saidu Komsiri will be the man in charge of membership registration, mass mobilization drive and the conduct of the next party congresses in the state while Dasin will work to ensure stability and unity amongst various interests and organs of the party.
Amb. Omar Suleiman struck out – His position unknown to ADC constitution
One of the notable aspects of the ruling was the court’s decision to strike out the name of Ambassador Omar Suleiman, earlier listed as the first respondent in the suit as “Chairman, Coalition of Adamawa Stakeholders.”
The court held that his position is nowhere recognized in the ADC constitution, rendering his inclusion improper and legally irrelevant.
By striking out Suleiman’s name, the court reinforced a core principle of political party law: only officers recognized by a party’s constitution may be sued or hold administrative responsibilities within its structure.
Implications: Komsiri committee stands, Kambile’s claim collapses, the ruling leaves no ambiguity
With the ruling the Komsiri-led Interim Executive Committee remains the legally recognized leadership of the ADC in Adamawa State.
With the court latest judgement, the ADC must now move forward by consolidating the interim structures already in place. Shehu Yohanna Kambile must take advantage of the court judgment to appease the other stakeholders that he is there for the success of the party not otherwise going by the fact that he breached a previous agreement signed by all the three parties in the leadership crisis that he will withdraw the legal suit in the interest of peace and harmony.
It is also incumbent on the National Working Committee of the party to respect the court’s ruling as a mark of commitment to the rule of law and to work harmoniously with both Saidu Komsiri and Sadiq Dasin to ensure a seamless transition ahead of the party’s congresses.
Kadabiyu writes from Kaduna state.
