The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, declaring its actions on behalf of the party invalid.
The ruling also invalidates the party’s presidential primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate for the 2027 general election.
Atiku had been listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the ADC’s presidential candidate and had selected former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
However, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the Mark-led caretaker committee, which organized the primary, was not legally constituted.
The court reached its decision in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC for the North-East, who challenged the process through which Mark and his associates assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to take over its leadership.
He asked the court to invalidate decisions taken by 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 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, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the actions taken by the caretaker leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flag bearer.
The judgment could have significant implications for the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election, scheduled for January 16, 2027.
The party has, however, indicated that it will challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The ADC’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was later joined in the case as an interested party, said the party would appeal the ruling.
The court decision came barely a day after Atiku held a large campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his efforts to secure the presidency in 2027.
