The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, declaring its actions and decisions on behalf of the party invalid.
The ruling also affects the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC's presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, potentially throwing the party's political preparations into fresh uncertainty.
Atiku had earlier emerged as the party's presidential candidate, with former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, selected as his running mate. His name had also appeared on the list of presidential candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the caretaker committee headed by Mark, which conducted the party's presidential primary that produced Atiku, unlawful.
The court's decision followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party's former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership of the ADC.
He subsequently approached the court, seeking to invalidate the decisions and activities undertaken by the Mark-led leadership in the name of the party.
The defendants in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, included the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu.
The plaintiff also sought an order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party's National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, insisting that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe's arguments and granted the reliefs sought in the suit.
The judgment is expected to trigger fresh political developments within the ADC as political activities intensify ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
However, the party has indicated its intention to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was subsequently joined in the proceedings as an interested party, confirmed that the party would appeal the judgment.
The appeal could determine the next phase of the leadership crisis and the fate of the party's 2027 presidential ticket.
