Court sacks Mark-led ADC leadership, voids Atiku candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared the Senator David Mark-led caretaker committee of the African Democratic Congress illegal and nullified all actions taken under its leadership. Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, dealing a blow to the opposition coalition that had adopted the ADC as its platform for the 2027 general elections.

The ruling invalidates the party’s presidential primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate, raising questions about the status of his candidacy barely 24 hours after he held a campaign rally in Sokoto State.

“The ruling came barely 24 hours after thousands of supporters welcomed him to Sokoto for the launch of the ADC campaign.”

The court case was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC for the North-East. Gombe argued that after the resignation of founding National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to assume party leadership, and the court upheld his claims.

The coalition behind the ADC had been formally unveiled on July 2, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja. Prominent figures involved included Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, Nasir El-Rufai and Rauf Aregbesola, with Mark emerging as interim National Chairman and Aregbesola as interim National Secretary.

Atiku accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of using the judgment to frustrate his presidential ambition and weaken his support base in the North. Peter Obi urged Nigerians and the judiciary to protect democratic principles and allow opposition parties to thrive.

The Social Democratic Party and the Coalition of United Political Parties also criticised the decision. The development marks the culmination of a prolonged leadership struggle involving competing claims, constitutional disagreements and controversies over the role of the Independent National Electoral Commission.