The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared the caretaker committee that led the African Democratic Congress (ADC) illegal, effectively nullifying the party’s leadership under Senator David Mark and all actions taken by the committee, including the nomination of former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday after a suit was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC from the North‑East. Gombe argued that, following the resignation of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership and requested the court to invalidate the decisions made by the Mark‑led committee.
In his application, Gombe also sought an order restraining Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively. He claimed that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
The defendants in the case—listed as FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025—included the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu. The court upheld Gombe’s claims, granting the reliefs he sought and invalidating the authority of the caretaker committee and its decisions.
The ruling has thrown the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election into uncertainty. Atiku had earlier been published by INEC as the party’s candidate, and he had selected former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
In response, the ADC rejected the judgment and vowed to challenge it at the Court of Appeal. National Welfare Secretary Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, said the party would appeal the decision.
The judgment arrived just 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his political mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>