The political fortunes of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) suffered a major setback on Thursday as the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the party’s leadership under former Senate President David Mark and invalidated all decisions taken by the faction.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, effectively nullifying the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The ruling also affected the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, as well as other national officers appointed under the disputed leadership.
All candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 elections were equally affected by the judgment.
The court held that the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the ADC violated the party’s constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The suit, with number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the party for the North-East.
Gombe had challenged the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership, arguing that he was constitutionally entitled to take over as national chairman following the resignation of the former chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
He asked the court to invalidate the decisions taken by the caretaker committee and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.
The ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the case.
Ruling in favour of Gombe, Justice Lifu further held that INEC should not recognise or give effect to resolutions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting of July 27, 2025.
Speaking after the proceedings, counsel to the plaintiff, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said the judgment had invalidated all actions taken by the party under the disputed leadership since the date of the NEC meeting.
“All the actions taken by the ADC as a party since July 27 to date stand annulled,” he said.
Also reacting, another counsel to Gombe, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the decision meant that the ADC no longer had valid candidates for the 2027 elections.
He explained that the consequences of the ruling covered all elective positions, including the presidency, governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and state Houses of Assembly.
However, the party has vowed to challenge the decision at the appellate court.
Its National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the matter as an interested party, disclosed that the ADC would appeal the judgment.
The ruling comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the opposition party, which has been positioning itself as a major platform for challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
It also comes barely 24 hours after Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as the ADC presidential candidate, held a campaign rally in Sokoto State.
The court decision is likely to intensify the leadership crisis within the ADC and cast uncertainty over the party’s electoral preparations, particularly its ability to field candidates in the 2027 general elections.
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