Court throws out case against Sokoto ADC leaders

The Federal High Court in Sokoto has thrown out a case brought by Umar Faruk, the former Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state. He challenged how the party is led.

Justice Ahmad Gama dismissed the case on Friday. He said it had no merit and lacked evidence. The judge decided on the four requests made by the plaintiffs in favor of the respondents.

Faruk and others filed the case in July. They claimed that new members had taken over the party’s structure in Sokoto State.

The plaintiffs wanted the court to make Faruk the chairman of the party again.

After hearing from both sides, Justice Gama stated that the court could not interfere in a political party's internal matters. He also pointed out that the plaintiffs did not use the party's internal ways to resolve their issues before coming to court.

The judge added that the plaintiffs did not prove that their human rights had been violated.

After the judgment, Suleiman Usman, SAN, who represented the respondents, said the ruling was fair and well-reasoned. He praised the judge for being neutral during the case. Usman stressed that people must back their claims with real evidence.

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

He also praised the court for its decision. He believes this judgment will help strengthen democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.

Usman said the ruling has wider effects on democracy and the law in the country.

"The judgment has deepened our democratic system and constitutional jurisprudence in the country," Usman said.

He insisted that this decision highlights the need to present credible evidence and follow the proper steps when asking the court to solve disputes.

The case came from conflicts over who should lead the ADC in Sokoto State. Faruk and the other plaintiffs wanted the court to help them regain control of the party's state leadership.