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

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark, invalidating the party’s decisions, including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, 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 court also nullified the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary and the appointments of other national officers.

It further invalidated the nominations of all candidates presented by the party for the 2027 elections, effectively leaving the ADC without recognised candidates for elective positions.

The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, 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 argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership.

He 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.

The ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.

Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu also directed that INEC should not recognise or act on decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.

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Speaking after the judgment, Gombe’s counsel, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said all actions taken by the party under the disputed leadership since July 27, 2025, had been annulled.

Another counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the ruling meant the ADC had no valid candidates for any elective position in the 2027 elections, including the presidency, governorship, Senate and House of Representatives.

However, the party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, said the ADC would appeal the judgment.

The ruling came barely 24 hours after Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as a presidential candidate, held a campaign rally in Sokoto State.