BREAKING: Court Sacks David Mark-Led ADC Exco, Nullifies Atiku’s 2027 Presidential Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the Senator David Mark-led executives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring invalid all actions taken by the disputed leadership on behalf of the party, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The judgment, delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu, declared illegal the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which organised the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flagbearer.

The ruling followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker leadership assumed control of the party.

Gombe had approached the court, arguing that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

He maintained that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally qualified to take over the leadership of the party.

The plaintiff consequently asked the court to invalidate all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, from parading themselves as the ADC’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.

After considering the arguments presented by the parties, Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs he sought, effectively invalidating the authority of the Mark-led Caretaker Committee and the decisions it took on behalf of the opposition party.

Among the major consequences of the judgment is the nullification of the presidential primary organised by the committee, which produced Atiku as the ADC’s candidate for the 2027 election.

Atiku’s nomination had earlier been reflected in the list of presidential candidates published by INEC. He had also selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.

The judgment has therefore cast fresh uncertainty over the ADC’s presidential ticket and its preparations for the 2027 general election, particularly the legal status of decisions taken by the now-invalidated leadership.

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However, the party has indicated that it will challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.

The ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was subsequently joined as an interested party in the case, confirmed that the party would appeal the judgment.

The development comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his political activities ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The ruling represents another major legal challenge for the ADC, which has been grappling with leadership disputes and litigation over its national and state structures ahead of the next general election.

The outcome of the proposed appeal could prove significant for the party’s leadership, its presidential nomination process and its ability to proceed with preparations for the 2027 elections.

For now, the court’s decision has invalidated the actions of the Mark-led caretaker leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flagbearer, pending further judicial proceedings.