The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that the current leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by former Senate President David Mark, is unlawfully constituted.
The court annulled the emergence of Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and others as National Officers of the ADC and declared all decisions and actions taken by the caretaker executives null and void.
The court also voided the presidential primary election, which produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate for the 2027 general election.
All candidates fielded for the 2027 general elections also have their candidacy cancelled on account of emerging from the illegal leadership of the ADC.
The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu.
The court ruled in favour of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Gombe had argued that he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership after Nwosu’s resignation, insisting that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
He consequently prayed the court to annul all decisions taken by the committee and bar Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
Reacting to the judgment, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, said the party would challenge the ruling at the appellate court. The development comes a day after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State, having earlier selected former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
