A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated all decisions the party’s caretaker committee made, including the nomination of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
It was reported that in a judgment delivered on Thursday, the presiding judge, Peter Lifu, declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, ruling in favour of the party’s former national deputy chairman (north-east), Nafiu Bala Gombe.
The development comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a massive rally in Sokoto State as part of his campaign for the 2027 presidential election.
Recall that Gombe approached the court to query the process by which the Senator Mark-led Committee took over the party’s leadership.
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He maintained that, with the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he (Gombe) was qualified to assume the party’s leadership.
Consequently, he, among other things, prayed the court to nullify all actions taken on behalf of the party by the Senator Mark-led leadership.
Listed as defendants in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, were the ADC, INEC, Senator Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu.
The plaintiff further urged the court to restrain Senator Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the ADC, insisting that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
By granting the plaintiff’s demands, the court has delivered a verdict that could destabilise the political landscape ahead of the January 16, 2027, presidential polls.
