A Federal High Court in Nigeria has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress and voided the process that made former vice-president Atiku Abubakar its presidential candidate for the 2027 election — a ruling the party immediately moved to challenge on Friday.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Thursday that the caretaker committee led by former Senate President David Mark was unlawful, finding that it had emerged through a process that violated the party's constitution, the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

What the court struck down

The court invalidated decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership since 27 July 2025. Those included Atiku's emergence as the party's presidential candidate, the appointment of former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, and the nomination of other candidates for elective positions.

The judge also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the party's 99th National Executive Committee meeting on 27 July 2025.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman for the north-east, who argued that he was entitled to take over the leadership after former national chairman Ralph Nwosu resigned.

Appeal filed within a day

The Mark-led leadership filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday, 6 November, together with an application for a stay of execution and an injunction seeking to restrain the electoral commission from implementing the trial court's directives.

Atiku said he would challenge the judgment, describing it as an attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections. The dispute leaves the ADC's participation in that election uncertain until the appeal is decided.

---