The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, invalidating all decisions and actions taken by the party’s caretaker committee.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, also affects the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The court’s decision followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which Mark and his team assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally qualified to take over the leadership.
He subsequently approached the court, seeking to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and prevent Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The plaintiff contended that their emergence contravened the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
In its judgment, the court upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought, declaring the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal.
The development has cast uncertainty over Atiku’s presidential ticket, which emerged from the primary organised by the now-invalidated committee.
Atiku had earlier been listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a presidential candidate for the 2027 election and had selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 listed the ADC, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola, and Nwosu as defendants.
However, the ADC, through its National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, has reacted to the judgment, saying it would challenge the decision at the appellate court.
