A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark, declaring its caretaker committee illegal.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, upheld a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party.
The court also invalidated all decisions taken by the Mark-led caretaker committee, including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Bala had approached the court to challenge the emergence of Mark and other members of the caretaker committee following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
He argued that, under the ADC constitution, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership after Nwosu stepped down.
The plaintiff consequently asked the court to nullify decisions taken by the caretaker committee and restrain Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
He maintained that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu upheld Bala’s arguments and granted the reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the actions of the caretaker committee, including Atiku’s presidential nomination.
INEC had earlier published Atiku’s name as the ADC candidate for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
The former vice-president had also selected Rotimi Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State, as his running mate.
However, reacting to the judgment, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, said the party would challenge the ruling at the appellate court.
