A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, in a ruling that also invalidated the party leadership led by Senator David Mark.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, voided all actions taken by the Mark-led faction of the party since July 27, 2026, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential flag bearer.
The ruling affects the caretaker committee that organised the party’s presidential primary and raises uncertainty over the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC (North-East), who challenged the process through which Mark and his allies 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 of the ADC.
He subsequently approached the court to challenge the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership and sought an order invalidating decisions taken by the faction on behalf of the party.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
The judgment is a major setback for the Mark-led leadership and casts doubt on the validity of the party’s decision to adopt Atiku as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Kehinde Ayanboade
Kehinde Ayanboade is the Managing Editor and Publisher of Naija Metro News, with over eight years of experience covering Nigerian politics, crime, legislative proceedings and metropolitan affairs.
