“All Actions Taken By Mark-Led ADC Leadership Stand Annulled” — Court Sacks NWC, Nullifies Atiku’s 2027 Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress and invalidated actions taken under it, including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Peter Lifu, delivering judgment on Thursday, declared the Mark-led caretaker leadership unlawful and consequently invalidated the presidential primary conducted under its authority, which produced Atiku as the ADC flag bearer.

The court also nullified the emergence of former Osun State Governor and former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, alongside other national officers who emerged under the disputed leadership arrangement.

The effect of the judgment also extended to candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 elections under the Mark-led leadership, with the court holding that actions flowing from the leadership it declared illegal could not stand.

The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed by former ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-East, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim National Working Committee assumed control of the party.

Gombe had argued that the emergence of the caretaker leadership violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

He maintained that following the resignation of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled under the party’s internal arrangements to assume leadership rather than have a new caretaker structure imposed.

He consequently asked the court to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively and to invalidate actions taken by the disputed leadership.

The ADC, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.

Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s case, finding that the process through which the Mark-led leadership emerged did not comply with the party’s constitution and applicable electoral requirements.

The court consequently held that decisions taken by that leadership structure, including the processes that produced Atiku and other candidates for the 2027 elections, were invalid.

The judgment also affected the decisions taken at the party’s National Executive Committee meeting at which the caretaker leadership was ratified, with the court holding that INEC could not validly act on decisions arising from an unlawful leadership structure.

Speaking after the judgment, counsel to Gombe, Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, said the effect of the ruling was that actions taken by the disputed ADC leadership since it assumed control had been annulled.

“All the actions taken by the ADC as a party since July 27 to date stand annulled,” Fagbemi said.

Another lawyer for the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, SAN, said the judgment affected the party’s nominations across different levels of the 2027 elections, including the presidency, governorship, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.

The decision represents a major legal setback for the opposition party barely months before the 2027 general elections.

Atiku’s name had previously been published by INEC as the ADC presidential candidate, and the former Vice-President had already commenced campaign activities under the party’s platform.

The judgment came barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his 2027 presidential campaign.

The ADC has, however, indicated that it will challenge the decision.

The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, said the judgment would be taken to the Court of Appeal.

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