The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, declaring its actions since July 27, 2026, illegal.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, also affects the party’s decision to nominate former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The court declared that the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which organised the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer, was not legally constituted.
The judgement followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC in the North-East, who challenged the process through which Mark and his associates assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the leadership.
He subsequently approached the court seeking an order to invalidate the actions and decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership on behalf of the party.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
In its ruling, the court found merit in Gombe’s claims and declared the actions taken by the Mark-led leadership since July 27, 2026, illegal.
The decision raises questions about the validity of the ADC’s leadership structure and its preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly the emergence of Atiku as its presidential candidate.
