The 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.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, also declared the Senator David Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, citing violations of the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman (North-East), who challenged the process through which David Mark and his allies assumed control of the party following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu.
Gombe argued that he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership after Nwosu’s resignation. He subsequently asked the court to invalidate all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The court upheld Gombe’s claims and nullified the emergence of David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and other national officers appointed under the disputed leadership.
It also invalidated the ADC presidential primary that produced Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer, as well as the nominations of all other candidates presented by the party for the 2027 general elections.
The development comes barely a day after Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the ADC presidential candidate, attended a campaign rally in Sokoto State. He had also selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Reacting to the judgment, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the case as an interested party, said the party would challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The judgment has thrown the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections into fresh uncertainty, with the party facing the task of resolving its leadership crisis and addressing the legal implications of the court’s decision.