The judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja which sacked the Sen. David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has put the Presidential Campaign Council of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in a quandry.
The court in a judgment declared the party’s caretaker committee led by Sen. Mark as illegal, nullifying all actions taken under its authority, including the nomination of Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, Novemver 05, 2026, declaring that the process through which the Mark-led committee assumed control of the opposition party was unlawful and illegal.
The court consequently invalidated all the decisions taken by the caretaker committee, including the presidential primary election that produced Atiku as the ADC’s flag bearer.
The judgment was read following a suit filef by the party’s former National Deputy Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the legitimacy of the leadership arrangement that brought Mark and his associates into the helms of affairs at the ADC.
Alhaji Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to assume the party’s leadership.
He consequently asked the court to declare the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and nullify all actions undertaken on behalf of the party by the disputed leadership.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu found merit in Gombe’s case and declared the caretaker committee unlawful, effectively invalidating all its decisions, including Atiku’s nomination.
The defendants in the suit included the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Sen. David Mark, the former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu.
The judgment portends a significant legal setback for the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly following the party’s recent presidential campaign activities.
Atiku had recently participated in the ADC’s campaign flag-off in Sokoto State, where the party reported a massive turnout of supporters.
The court’s decision now raises questions about the validity of the party’s leadership structure and its presidential nomination process.
It is expected that the affected ADC officials and Atiku will appeal the judgment.
