NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: 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 elections, in a judgment that also invalidated the party’s national leadership and nominations of all its candidates.
Justice Peter Odo Lifu, who delivered the judgment on Thursday, declared illegal the processes through which former Senate President David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and other officials emerged as national officers of the opposition party.
The court also nullified all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership, including the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (North-East), who challenged the legality of the process through which Mark and other members of the party’s caretaker leadership assumed office.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, as defendants.
Gombe had argued that following Nwosu’s resignation, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership.
He maintained that the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola violated the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act and other relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
He consequently asked the court to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, and to nullify decisions taken by their leadership.
Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership was unlawful. The judge also 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 ruling has far-reaching consequences for the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 elections, as it invalidates not only Atiku’s presidential nomination, but also the emergence of all other candidates presented by the party for elective positions.
Atiku had emerged as the ADC presidential candidate following the party’s primary election and subsequently picked former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
INEC had earlier published Atiku’s name among the candidates for the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.
The judgment comes amid a prolonged leadership crisis within the ADC, which intensified following the resignation of Nwosu and the subsequent emergence of Mark and other political figures to lead the party.
The development had also generated competing claims over the legitimate leadership of the party, with Gombe insisting that the process through which the Mark-led executives assumed office was unconstitutional.
Meanwhile, the ADC has indicated its intention to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the case as an interested party, said the party would appeal the decision.
The ruling came barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The appeal and any subsequent court orders could determine the next steps for the party and the status of its candidates.
Credit: Realnews ng