Court Sacks David Mark-Led ADC Leadership, Nullifies Atiku’s 2027 Presidential Ticket

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified all actions taken by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and invalidated decisions taken by the disputed leadership since it assumed control of the opposition party.

The ruling also affected the emergence of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary, as well as other national officers appointed under the Mark-led leadership. The court further nullified the nominations of ADC candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC representing the North-East, who challenged the legitimacy of 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 assume the leadership of the ADC in his capacity as the former National Deputy Chairman.

He consequently approached the court to challenge the emergence of Mark as National Chairman and Aregbesola as National Secretary, insisting that their appointment and the subsequent activities of the caretaker committee violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

The plaintiff sought an order declaring the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, nullifying all decisions taken under its authority and restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The defendants in the suit included the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu. In its judgment, the court upheld Gombe’s claims and directed that INEC should not recognise or act on decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting of July 27, 2025.

The judgment directly affects Atiku’s presidential ambition under the ADC platform, as the primary election that produced him as the party’s flag bearer was organised by the caretaker committee whose legitimacy the court rejected. Atiku’s name had earlier been published by INEC as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Reacting to the judgment, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, said the party would challenge the decision at the appellate court. The ruling has also thrown the party’s leadership structure, presidential ticket and preparations for the 2027 general elections into fresh legal uncertainty.