By Musa Ubandawaki, Sokoto

SOKOTO:- The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress in Sokoto State took a dramatic legal turn on Friday as the Federal High Court in Sokoto ordered an accelerated hearing in a suit challenging the authenticity of the party’s state leadership ahead of its scheduled primary elections.

Presiding over the matter, Justice Ahmad Gama Mahmud adjourned proceedings to May 19, 2026, for the substantive hearing of the case after granting an application seeking abridgement of time for the defendants to file their responses.

The plaintiffs, through their lead counsel, Mathew Burkaa, accused some party officials of allegedly hijacking the leadership structure of the party in Sokoto State.

“There is a hijack of power by the second and third defendants who are claiming to be the Chairman and Secretary of the party in Sokoto State,” Burkaa told the court.

“That is the crux of the matter before this court.

We are challenging that our clients, the plaintiffs, are the rightful Chairman and Secretary of the ADC,” he added.

The senior lawyer urged the court to grant an accelerated hearing in order to prevent further complications ahead of the party’s primary elections scheduled to commence on May 21, 2026.

According to him, the application for abridgement of time became necessary to ensure that the dispute is resolved before the primaries begin.

“The motion is asking for abridgement of time so that the case can be heard expeditiously and concluded before ADC primaries are held here in Sokoto, so that the issue of leadership will be put in the right perspective before the primaries are conducted,” Burkaa submitted.

Justice Mahmud, after listening to arguments from counsel, ruled in favour of the application and stressed that time was of critical importance in the matter.

The court subsequently fixed May 19, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit, directing all parties to file the necessary processes within the stipulated timeframe.

Also speaking after the proceedings, counsel to the plaintiffs, Fidelis Mnyim, confirmed that the court had shortened the timeline for the defendants to respond to the suit.

“The court abridged the time for the defendants to file their processes and adjourned the case to May 19, 2026, for hearing of the entire matter,” Mnyim said.

He further explained that the court expects all defence processes and possible replies to be filed before the next adjourned date to pave the way for a comprehensive hearing.

The development is seen by political observers as a major legal battle capable of reshaping the internal structure of the ADC in Sokoto State ahead of crucial political activities and the party’s forthcoming primaries.

Although the identities of the defendants were not disclosed in open interaction with journalists, counsel maintained that their names and details were already contained in the court processes before the Federal High Court.