The Federal High Court in Abuja has declared the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) illegal, invalidating decisions taken by the party’s caretaker committee.
The judgment also casts uncertainty over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Atiku, whose name had earlier been listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the ADC’s presidential candidate, had selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the caretaker committee led by Mark had no legal authority to take over the party’s leadership or conduct its affairs.
The committee had organised the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the ADC’s candidate for the forthcoming election.
The ruling followed a legal challenge instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC representing the North-East, who questioned the legitimacy of the process that brought Mark and his team into the party’s leadership.
Gombe argued that he was constitutionally entitled to assume the position of national chairman following the resignation of the party’s former chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu.
He maintained that the establishment of the Mark-led caretaker committee violated the ADC constitution and challenged its authority to act on behalf of the party.
The suit sought a judicial determination of the party’s legitimate leadership amid an ongoing internal crisis that has threatened its preparations for the 2027 general election.