The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by former Senate President David Mark, invalidating decisions taken by the party under the leadership, including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
In his judgment, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, nullifying the process through which it conducted the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer.
The court also invalidated the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary, alongside the appointments of other national officers and the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the 2027 elections.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
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 ADC.
He consequently asked the court to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.
Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The court also directed INEC not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Speaking with journalists after the judgment, counsel for Gombe, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said the court had nullified all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership since July 2025.
He explained that the court found that the leadership did not emerge through lawful constitutional processes and that there had been breaches of relevant provisions of the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
Fagbemi said the ruling also required INEC to refrain from recognising or acting on decisions taken at the party’s 99th NEC meeting.
Another counsel for the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the judgment followed the determination of the substantive suit after the Supreme Court had directed that the matter be returned to the Federal High Court for adjudication.
According to him, the ruling effectively leaves the ADC without recognised candidates for the 2027 general elections, including the presidential, governorship, senatorial and House of Assembly contests.
Haruna said, “The interlocutory aspect of this matter went up to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court said we should come back to the trial court so that the substantive issue would be determined.
“Today, the substantive issue has been determined, and all actions taken by the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC have been declared null and void.”
He added that the party currently had no candidates for elective positions under the Mark-led leadership, arguing that only candidates from Gombe’s camp could claim legitimacy under the judgment.
Meanwhile, the ADC’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, reportedly said the party would appeal the judgment.
The ruling comes a day after Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as a presidential candidate, commenced his campaign with a rally in Sokoto State.
The planned appeal could set the stage for another round of legal proceedings over the leadership and control of the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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