A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and voided decisions made under it, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, according to reports published Thursday.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled in a suit brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman for the North-East.
Gombe challenged how Mark and other members of the party’s interim leadership took office.
Reports say the judgment also affected the emergence of Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary and other ADC candidates nominated under the leadership.
The decision places fresh uncertainty over the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 general election.
Atiku’s nomination followed the party’s presidential primary, and the court reportedly found that the committee which organized it lacked authority to act for the party.
The ADC has said it will appeal the judgment, according to Channels Television.
The ruling’s practical effect could therefore depend on further court proceedings, including whether an appeal is filed and whether any court orders affect implementation.
The case is part of a wider dispute over control of the ADC.
In October, Premium Times reported that related litigation had left key questions unresolved, including the status of Bala’s case and the implications of earlier court decisions for the party’s leadership and nominations.
The recent judgment reportedly invalidates Atiku’s ADC ticket as issued under the Mark-led leadership.
It does not, by itself, settle every question about the party’s next steps or the final status of its candidates while appeals and related disputes remain possible.
