The presidential ambition of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has suffered a major setback after the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) headed by former Senate President David Mark, invalidating decisions taken by the disputed party leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as its 2027 presidential candidate.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday in a suit instituted by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC for the North-East, who challenged the legality of the process through which Mark and other members of the party’s caretaker leadership assumed office.
The court declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal and upheld Gombe’s claims that its emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
Justice Lifu consequently invalidated decisions taken by the leadership, including the conduct of the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 general election.
The judgment also affects the emergence of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary.
Gombe had approached the court arguing that following the resignation of the ADC’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership.
He asked the court to invalidate all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the caretaker committee from presenting themselves as legitimate officers of the party.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
In granting the plaintiff’s reliefs, Justice Lifu effectively placed the legitimacy of the ADC leadership and the political decisions taken under it in serious legal jeopardy.
Reacting to the judgment, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, said the party would appeal the decision.
The proposed appeal sets the stage for another round of legal contest over the control of the ADC, a party that has become a major platform for opposition politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in 2027.
The immediate consequence of the ruling is uncertainty over the validity of Atiku’s nomination and other decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership.
The Court of Appeal will now have an opportunity to examine the judgment if the party proceeds with its announced challenge.
