Court Sacks David Mark-led ADC Leadership, Nullifies Atiku’s Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, declaring its actions on behalf of the party invalid.

The ruling also invalidates the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday while ruling on a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the ADC.

Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to take over its leadership.

He asked the court to nullify all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Senator Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.

The court upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs he sought, effectively invalidating the actions of the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, including the primary election that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as a presidential candidate, had picked former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.

The judgment could trigger fresh uncertainty within the opposition party ahead of the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

However, the ADC has vowed to challenge the ruling at the appellate court.

The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined as an interested party in the case, confirmed that the leadership would appeal the judgment.

The ruling comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

This article first appeared on Politics Nigeria: https://politicsnigeria.com/2026/11/05/court-sacks-david-mark-led-adc-leadership-nullifies-atikus-candidac/

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