The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark, invalidating the party’s decisions under the disputed leadership, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, following a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC for the North-East.
Gombe had challenged the process through which the David Mark-led caretaker committee assumed control of the party after the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
He argued that following Nwosu’s resignation, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership. He consequently approached the court to challenge the legitimacy of the caretaker committee and the decisions it had taken.
The court upheld his claims, declaring the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and invalidating the actions taken by the disputed leadership.
The ruling also affected former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola, whose emergence as National Secretary was nullified, alongside other national officers appointed under the disputed arrangement.
Of particular significance was the court’s decision to invalidate the process that produced Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential flag bearer. The judgment also affected the nominations of other candidates presented by the party for the 2027 elections.
The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise or act on decisions arising from the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, INEC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and Ralph Nwosu among the defendants.
ADC rejects judgment, announces appeal
The judgment has created fresh uncertainty for the opposition party, which had positioned itself as a major platform for politicians seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
The ADC has rejected the ruling and announced plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, said its legal team would take the necessary steps to appeal the decision.
Atiku also dismissed the judgment, describing it as an attempt to derail what he called a national political movement.
In a statement issued through his campaign’s Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice-President questioned the timing of the decision, which came barely a day after the ADC’s presidential campaign launch in Sokoto.
Atiku also argued that an earlier judgment by another judge of the Federal High Court had addressed the dispute surrounding the party’s leadership. He maintained that the latest decision would be challenged through the appellate process.
The ADC has also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of attempting to weaken the opposition, although no judicial finding has established that the government was responsible for the litigation or the outcome.
What the ruling means for the 2027 election
The immediate consequence is uncertainty over the ADC’s leadership and its ability to rely on the nominations made under the Mark-led caretaker committee.
The party’s planned appeal will be significant in determining whether the judgment is upheld, varied or overturned.
Until the appellate process provides further clarity, questions remain over Atiku’s candidacy, the status of other ADC candidates and the party’s next steps in preparing for the January 2027 presidential election.
The development adds another legal challenge to an already competitive election season, with political parties facing pressure to resolve internal disputes and establish clear leadership structures ahead of the polls.
For the ADC, the priority will now be to challenge the judgment while managing the uncertainty surrounding its presidential ticket and other electoral nominations.
