A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring its actions, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election, illegal.
The ruling represents a major setback for Atiku’s presidential ambition and throws the opposition party’s preparations for the 2027 general election into fresh uncertainty.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, 5 November, while ruling on a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the process through which the David Mark-led faction assumed control of the party.
The plaintiff had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to take over its leadership.
He consequently approached the court seeking to invalidate decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership, as well as restrain its members from continuing to act as the party’s recognised national executives.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
In its judgment, the court reportedly declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and invalidated actions taken by the leadership since 27 July 2026.
The decision also affects the party’s presidential primary, which produced Atiku as its flag bearer for the 2027 presidential election.
