From Victor Osula, Abuja
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sacked the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring its caretaker committee illegal and nullifying all actions taken by it, including the presidential primary that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general election.
The judgement, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, challenging the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the ADC.
The court found merit in Gombe’s suit and declared the caretaker committee led by Mark illegal, thereby invalidating the decisions and actions taken by the committee on behalf of the party.
Among the affected decisions is the nomination of Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Atiku had earlier been listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s presidential candidate and had subsequently picked former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
The latest ruling, however, invalidates the process through which the presidential ticket was secured, following the court’s decision to nullify the authority of the leadership that organised the primary.
Gombe had approached the court to challenge the legality of the emergence of Mark and other members of the caretaker leadership, arguing that the process violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
He maintained that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the leadership of the party by virtue of his position as National Deputy Chairman (North-East).
The plaintiff consequently asked the court to nullify all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
Gombe contended that their emergence into the respective positions was inconsistent with the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
He also challenged the authority of the caretaker committee to conduct the party’s affairs and organise activities, including the process that culminated in Atiku’s emergence as its presidential candidate.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the African Democratic Congress, INEC, Senator Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
The dispute followed the leadership transition within the ADC after Nwosu left office as National Chairman, and the Mark-led leadership structure subsequently emerged to take charge of the party.
Gombe challenged the arrangement, insisting that he had not relinquished his position as National Deputy Chairman and was entitled to assume the chairmanship in accordance with the party’s constitutional provisions.
He urged the court to declare the Mark-led leadership illegal and invalidate decisions taken under its authority.
The plaintiff also sought orders restraining Mark and Aregbesola from continuing to act in the capacities of National Chairman and National Secretary of the party.
The leadership crisis had previously travelled through the appellate courts after Mark challenged the proceedings at the Federal High Court.
On April 30, 2026, the Supreme Court set aside an order of the Court of Appeal directing parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum in the dispute and directed that the substantive suit be heard expeditiously by the Federal High Court.
The apex court’s intervention paved the way for the trial court to proceed with the determination of the substantive leadership dispute.
The case subsequently came before Justice Lifu, who, in July 2026, dismissed objections by Mark and Aregbesola to Gombe’s application to amend his claims.
The court also imposed a ₦500,000 fine on the two defendants over the objections.
Thursday’s judgment brings the leadership dispute to another significant stage, with the court’s decision striking at the legitimacy of the Mark-led executive structure and the decisions taken under its authority, including the process that produced Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
