Court nullifies Atiku’s ADC candidacy, sacks David Mark-led leadership

In Abuja, the Federal High Court has purportedly declared null and void the structure of leadership within the African Democratic Congress Party (ADC), headed by Senator David Mark, rendering all acts undertaken by the leadership of the party as being invalid.

This includes the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 general elections.

The ruling, reportedly delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party for the North-East.

Gombe had challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership emerged, arguing that he was constitutionally entitled to assume the position of National Chairman following the resignation of the party’s former chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu.

He consequently asked the court to invalidate the actions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Senator Mark and former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

In its reported judgment, the court upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs he sought, effectively invalidating the authority of the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which organised the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.

Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as the party’s presidential candidate, had also selected former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate ahead of the 2027 election.

The reported judgment could raise fresh legal and political questions over the status of the party’s presidential ticket and other decisions taken by the disputed leadership.

ADC vows to appeal judgment

The ADC has indicated that it will challenge the ruling at the appellate court.

Reacting to the development, the party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was subsequently joined as an interested party in the case, said the party would appeal the decision.

The development comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.