By Our Correspondent
A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, in a judgment that also invalidated the party’s David Mark-led national leadership.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, November 5, 2026, while ruling on a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the process that brought former Senate President, David Mark and other officials into the party’s leadership.
Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership of the party rather than allow the emergence of a caretaker committee led by Mark.
He contended that the arrangement that produced the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu declared the caretaker committee illegal and nullified its decisions, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flag bearer.
The court also invalidated the emergence of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, alongside other members of the party’s national leadership.
The judgment further affected the nominations of other ADC candidates for the 2027 general elections, as the court directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The development comes after Atiku had commenced political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election and selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate. INEC had also previously published his name as the ADC presidential candidate.
However, the ADC has rejected the judgment, announcing plans to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the ruling as a threat to democratic competition, alleging that it was part of efforts to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party also disclosed plans to petition the National Judicial Council over the handling of the case.
Similarly, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, confirmed that the party would pursue an appeal against the judgment.
The latest ruling follows an earlier Supreme Court intervention in the leadership dispute, which restored the Mark-led leadership on an interim basis and directed that the substantive issues be determined by the Federal High Court.
With the judgment, the ADC’s leadership structure, presidential ticket and preparations for the 2027 elections have been thrown into fresh legal uncertainty.
The final outcome will now depend on the appellate proceedings and whether the Court of Appeal upholds or overturns the Federal High Court’s decision.
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