The Federal High Court in Sokoto has postponed the leadership dispute case concerning the Sokoto State branch of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) until July 22, 2026. During the session, Justice Ahmad Mahmud Gama ordered the counsel for the first defendant to pay N500,000 in costs, requiring him to cover the airfare and travel expenses for the plaintiff’s lawyer once proper documentation is submitted.
This decision came after an adjournment request from Dr. Sulaiman Usman, SAN, which was presented in court by Barrister Salmanu Jabo. Jabo explained that his senior colleague was unavailable and noted that essential defense documents had not yet reached all parties, specifically the fourth and fifth defendants. He asserted that moving forward immediately would hinder the right to a fair hearing.
While Professor Ibrahim Abdullahi, SAN, representing the second and third defendants, agreed with the request for a delay, the plaintiff’s attorney, Barrister Mathew Burkaa, SAN, objected, citing that frequent postponements are slowing the resolution of the matter. Justice Gama ultimately sided with the need to ensure all participants are properly served and given time to respond, emphasizing that this was vital to maintain legal fairness. Jabo later confirmed to reporters that the delay was unavoidable due to incomplete document service.
