The political crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) deepened on Thursday as a Federal High Court in Abuja sacked the leadership led by former Senate President David Mark and nullified the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
The court also invalidated all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership, throwing the opposition party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections into fresh uncertainty.
Justice Peter Lifu, in his judgment, declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, ruling that its emergence violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The committee had organised the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer.
The ruling equally nullified the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, as well as other national officers appointed under the disputed leadership.
All nominations made by the party for the 2027 elections were also affected by the judgment.
The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise or act on decisions reached at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The judgment followed a suit filed by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
Gombe, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, argued that he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
He consequently asked the court to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The ADC, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.
Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership was not in accordance with the party’s constitution and the relevant laws governing political parties.
Reacting to the judgment, Gombe’s counsel, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said all actions taken by the ADC under the disputed leadership since July 27, 2025, had been nullified.
Another lawyer to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the ruling had effectively left the ADC without validly nominated candidates for the 2027 elections, including the presidential, governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly contests.
However, the party is already preparing to challenge the judgment.
Its National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the case as an interested party, said the ADC would appeal the decision.
The latest ruling comes against the backdrop of an earlier legal battle over the party’s leadership.
In July 2026, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld an order barring INEC from recognising congresses organised by the Mark-led leadership, declaring the disputed congresses and national convention invalid.
The ADC had subsequently maintained that the earlier appellate court decision would not affect candidates who emerged through its direct primaries, insisting that it would challenge the ruling.
Thursday’s judgment, however, raises fresh questions over the validity of the party’s presidential ticket and the status of its other candidates.
The development is particularly embarrassing for the opposition party as it comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State, intensifying his political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The ruling now leaves the Mark-led ADC leadership facing another major legal battle, with the future of Atiku’s presidential ambition hanging in the balance.
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