In a landmark judgment that is set to trigger a major political upheaval ahead of the 2027 general elections, the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has sacked the Senator David Mark-led executive of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and invalidated all actions taken by the leadership on behalf of the party.

The actions nullified by the court include the highly publicised nomination and emergence of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the presidential candidate of the party for the 2027 presidential election, a development that has thrown the party into serious crisis and confusion.

Atiku Abubakar, whose name had earlier been published and displayed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as a duly nominated candidate for the presidential poll scheduled for January 16, 2027, had since chosen a former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, as his running mate and vice presidential candidate.

The former Vice President, who defected to the ADC after months of political consultations and alignments following his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had already commenced full-blown campaigns across the country, holding rallies and town hall meetings with his campaign team.

However, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, November 6, 2026, by Honourable Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, the court declared illegal, unconstitutional and null and void, the Senator David Mark-led Caretaker Committee of the ADC, which organised the primary election that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flag bearer.

The court held that the process through which the Senator Mark-led committee took over the reins of leadership of the party did not comply with the constitution of the ADC, the Electoral Act 2022 and the guidelines laid down for party administration and leadership succession.

Justice Lifu found merit in the suit brought before the court by an aggrieved chieftain and former National Deputy Chairman, North-East, of the party, Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe, who had challenged the legitimacy of the David Mark leadership and the validity of all actions taken under its watch.

Gombe had approached the court to query and challenge the process through which the Senator David Mark-led committee was constituted and inaugurated to take over the affairs of the party following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu.

The plaintiff maintained that upon the resignation of Chief Ralph Nwosu as the National Chairman of the ADC, he, as the Deputy National Chairman in charge of the North-East and the most senior member of the National Working Committee, NWC, was constitutionally qualified, entitled and positioned to assume the leadership of the party in acting capacity.

He argued that the appointment of Senator David Mark, a former Senate President who only recently joined the party, as National Chairman of a Caretaker Committee, along with former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, was a flagrant violation of the party’s constitution and an imposition by a few powerful interests.

Consequently, Gombe, through his team of lawyers, prayed the court to nullify, set aside and quash all actions, decisions, steps and activities taken on behalf of the party by the Senator Mark-led leadership, including the conduct of ward, local government and state congresses and the presidential primary.

Listed as defendants in the suit, which was marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, were the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as first defendant, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as second defendant, Senator David Mark as third defendant, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as fourth defendant and Chief Ralph Nwosu as fifth defendant.

In the suit, the plaintiff also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Senator Mark, Aregbesola and their agents, privies and supporters from parading themselves as national officers of the ADC and from performing any function or carrying out any activity on behalf of the party.

The plaintiff further asked the court to declare that all nominations, including that of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidate and Rotimi Amaechi as vice presidential candidate, as well as nominations for governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State Assembly positions made by the caretaker committee, are null and void and of no effect.

Delivering judgment after listening to arguments from all parties and reviewing documentary evidence and the party constitution, Justice Peter Lifu upheld the plaintiff’s claims in their entirety and granted all the reliefs sought, describing the emergence of the David Mark-led committee as an aberration and illegality.

The court declared that the plaintiff, Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe, remains the authentic and legitimate acting National Chairman of the ADC pending the conduct of a valid and constitutionally recognised national convention and congresses to elect new national officers of the party.

Justice Lifu also issued an order nullifying the presidential primary election of the ADC that produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate, holding that the primary was conducted by an illegal leadership that had no legal authority to organise any primary election on behalf of the party.

The court further directed INEC to immediately delist and remove the names of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi as presidential and vice presidential candidates of the ADC for the 2027 election and to refrain from according any recognition to any candidate or list of candidates submitted by the David Mark-led leadership.

The court also restrained Senator David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu from parading themselves as leaders of the ADC and from taking any further action or decision on behalf of the party, warning that any disobedience to the judgment would attract severe sanctions and consequences.

The verdict, which was delivered in a packed courtroom that included party chieftains, lawyers, journalists and political observers, could spark a chain of reactions and realignments in the polity, especially with the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027, just about two months away.

Political analysts are of the view that the judgment may throw the ADC into a deeper crisis and force Atiku Abubakar, who is seen as one of the frontline contenders for the 2027 presidency, to either seek a fresh platform, return to his former party or forge a new alliance to realise his presidential ambition.

Already, the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress under Senator David Mark has vowed to appeal the judgment and has described the verdict as a temporary setback that will be vacated by the Court of Appeal.

Reacting to the outcome of the case shortly after the judgment was delivered, the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, Mr. Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was later joined as an interested party in the matter, said the verdict would be challenged at the appellate court and that the party remains calm and focused.

Mr. Ukandu, who spoke with journalists on the premises of the Federal High Court, said the ADC is a law-abiding party that respects the judiciary but believes that the trial court did not consider all the issues and facts placed before it, and therefore the party will seek justice at the higher court.

He assured supporters, members and loyalists of the ADC across the country and in the diaspora that there is no cause for alarm, that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar remains the presidential candidate of the party and that the campaign for the 2027 election will continue unabated pending the decision of the Court of Appeal.

He also called on all members of the ADC to remain united, steadfast and resolute, and not to allow the judgment to distract them from the mission of rescuing Nigeria and providing alternative leadership that will address the challenges of insecurity, poverty, unemployment and economic hardship.

Meanwhile, the camp of the plaintiff, Alhaji Nafiu Bala Gombe, has hailed the judgment as a victory for democracy, rule of law and internal party democracy, stating that the judiciary has once again demonstrated its courage and independence in protecting the constitution of political parties from impunity and imposition.

The development comes barely 24 hours after the party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, held a massive, colourful and well-attended rally in Sokoto State as part of his nationwide campaign tour for the 2027 presidential election, where he promised to restructure the country, tackle insecurity and revive the economy.

INEC, which was listed as a defendant in the suit, is yet to issue an official statement on the judgment and its implications for the publication of candidates for the 2027 election, though a senior official of the commission who pleaded anonymity said the commission will study the judgment and take appropriate action in line with the law.