Court Nullifies Mark-Led ADC Leadership, Atiku’s 2027 Presidential Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Sen. David Mark, declaring its actions on behalf of the party invalid.

The ruling also invalidates the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, challenging the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the ADC.

Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to assume the leadership of the party.

He sought an order nullifying all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restraining Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading 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.

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

The court upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the actions of the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, including the primary election that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.

Atiku had earlier been published by INEC as a presidential candidate and had picked former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.

The judgment is expected to create fresh uncertainty within the opposition party ahead of the presidential election scheduled for Jan. 16, 2027.

However, the ADC has vowed to challenge the ruling at the appellate court.

The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined as an interested party in the case, confirmed that the leadership would appeal the judgment.

The ruling came barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto as part of his preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

At the rally, the former vice-president accused members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of allegedly buying voters’ cards in villages across northern Nigeria to manipulate the electoral process.

He urged Nigerians to turn out in large numbers and protect their votes, warning that low voter turnout could create opportunities for electoral manipulation.

Atiku also explained that Sokoto was chosen for the campaign flag-off because of its historical and religious significance, describing it as a centre of peace and peaceful coexistence.

He promised that an ADC-led administration would tackle insecurity, reopen the country’s land borders and make Hajj and Christian pilgrimages more affordable.

The former vice-president also expressed condolences to families of victims of attacks across the country and urged Nigerians to participate in the forthcoming elections.