A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Thursday nullified all processes that led to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election.
The court also nullified the emergence of former Senate President, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the party’s National Working Committee as national officers of the ADC.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment, further cancelled the nominations of all candidates who emerged under the Mark-led leadership for the 2027 general elections.
The judge upheld the suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as leaders of the party.
Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the leadership of the party.
He consequently asked the court to invalidate all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark, Aregbesola, the National Secretary and other members of their caretaker committee from parading themselves as legitimate leaders of the party.
The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants, respectively.
Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought.
Reacting to the ruling, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, said the party would appeal the judgment.
