The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated decisions taken under the disputed leadership, including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Justice Peter Lifu, delivering judgment on Thursday, November 5, 2026, declared the Mark-led caretaker leadership unlawful, holding that the process through which it assumed control of the opposition party did not comply with the ADC constitution and applicable electoral requirements.
The court consequently invalidated the presidential primary conducted under the leadership, which produced Atiku as the party’s flag bearer, and nullified the emergence of former Osun State Governor and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary.
The judgment also affected other national officers who emerged under the disputed leadership arrangement, as well as candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 elections through processes conducted under its authority.
Justice Lifu held that decisions flowing from a leadership structure declared unlawful could not stand, thereby extending the effect of the judgment beyond the party’s national leadership to its electoral nominations.
The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025, at which the disputed caretaker leadership was ratified.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by the former ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-East, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the interim National Working Committee assumed leadership of the party.
Gombe had argued that their emergence violated provisions of the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.
He maintained that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled under the party’s internal arrangements to assume leadership rather than have a caretaker committee imposed.
The plaintiff consequently asked the court to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary respectively, and to invalidate decisions taken by the disputed leadership.
The ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were joined as defendants in the suit.
In determining the case, Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s challenge, finding that the process leading to the emergence of the Mark-led leadership was inconsistent with the party’s constitution and relevant electoral requirements.
The judge consequently declared the caretaker committee illegal and held that the actions and decisions taken under its authority, including the party’s presidential primary and the nomination of other candidates, were invalid.
The court also held that INEC could not validly recognise decisions arising from the disputed National Executive Committee meeting or give effect to electoral nominations flowing from an unlawfully constituted leadership.
Speaking after the judgment, counsel to Gombe, Lukman Fagbemi, SAN, said the decision had effectively nullified the actions taken by the ADC leadership since it assumed control of the party.
“All the actions taken by the ADC as a party since July 27 to date stand annulled,” Fagbemi stated.
Another lawyer representing the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna, SAN, explained that the judgment extended to the party’s nominations for various elective offices in the forthcoming general elections.
According to him, the affected nominations included those for the presidency, governorship elections, the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.
The development represents a major legal setback for the ADC, which has positioned itself as an opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku had emerged as the party’s presidential candidate following the primary conducted under the Mark-led leadership, and his name had previously been published by INEC among candidates for the presidential election.
The former Vice-President had also commenced campaign activities under the party’s platform, including a rally in Sokoto State on Wednesday, November 4, barely 24 hours before the judgment.
The ruling has therefore raised fresh questions about the legal status of the party’s presidential ticket and other nominations made under the leadership now declared unlawful.
The dispute originated from disagreements within the ADC following the resignation of its former national leadership led by Nwosu and the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as the party’s new national officers.
Gombe maintained that the leadership transition violated the party’s constitution and insisted that he was entitled to assume control following Nwosu’s resignation.
The disagreement subsequently developed into a legal battle involving the Federal High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
In an earlier stage of the litigation, the Court of Appeal directed the parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the leadership dispute.
However, on April 30, 2026, the Supreme Court set aside the appellate court’s directive requiring the parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum.
The apex court’s decision favoured Mark at that stage of the proceedings but did not finally determine Gombe’s substantive challenge to the party’s leadership.
Instead, the Supreme Court directed that the outstanding proceedings before the Federal High Court be determined in accordance with the law.
The matter subsequently continued before Justice Lifu, culminating in Thursday’s judgment nullifying the Mark-led leadership and the electoral decisions taken under it.
The latest ruling has reopened the dispute over the control of the ADC and the validity of its preparations for the 2027 elections.
The party has, however, indicated its intention to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
The ADC’s National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the proceedings as an interested party, said the decision would be appealed.
The planned appeal means that the legal contest over the party’s leadership and the validity of its nominations may continue before the appellate courts.
Although the Federal High Court has declared the disputed leadership and its decisions unlawful, the ultimate legal position could still be affected by subsequent appellate decisions.
The judgment also places renewed attention on the role of INEC in recognising party leadership structures and candidates nominated through disputed internal processes.
With preparations for the 2027 general elections already underway, the consequences of the decision could extend beyond the ADC’s presidential ticket to its governorship, National Assembly and state legislative candidates.
The party’s intention to appeal, however, leaves the final resolution of the leadership dispute and the status of its affected nominations subject to further judicial proceedings.
For now, the Federal High Court’s judgment has invalidated the Mark-led caretaker leadership, the presidential primary that produced Atiku and other electoral nominations made under the disputed leadership arrangement.
Post Title: “All Actions Taken By Mark-Led ADC Leadership Stand Annulled” — Court Sacks NWC, Nullifies Atiku’s 2027 Candidacy By Naijaonpoint.