By Peter Dansu The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former ...
By Peter Dansu
 |
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark, declaring illegal the caretaker committee under whose leadership former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal and invalidated decisions taken by the party under its leadership, including the conduct of its presidential primary and the emergence of Atiku as its flag bearer.
The court also nullified the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary, alongside other national officers appointed under the disputed leadership. It further invalidated the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the 2027 general elections.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC for the North-East, 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 the leadership of the ADC.
He consequently approached the court to challenge the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership, seeking an order invalidating its decisions and restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.
Upholding the plaintiff’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated provisions of the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The court also directed that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should not recognise or act on decisions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Speaking after the judgment, counsel to Gombe, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said the ruling effectively invalidated all actions taken by the party under the disputed leadership from July 27, 2025, to date.
Another counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the judgment left the ADC without recognised candidates for elective positions in the 2027 elections, including the presidency, governorship, Senate and House of Representatives.
However, the party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, disclosed that the ADC would appeal the judgment.
The ruling comes barely 24 hours after Atiku Abubakar, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as the ADC presidential candidate, held a campaign rally in Sokoto State.
The development represents a major setback for the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections, potentially throwing its leadership structure and electoral preparations into fresh uncertainty.
Further details are expected as the party responds to the judgment and pursues its planned appeal.
No comments