Court Voids Mark-Led Adc Leadership, Cancels Atiku’s 2027 Presidential Nomination

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria Thursday, November 5th, 2026

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A federal high court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark.

The presiding judge, Peter Lifu, delivered the judgment on Thursday. He declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and ruled in favour of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former national deputy chairman (north-east) of the party.

The court also cancelled all decisions made by the caretaker committee. This includes the nomination of Atiku Abubakar as the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Bala went to court to challenge how Mark and other members of the caretaker committee took control of the party after Ralph Nwosu, the former national chairman, resigned. He argued that he was constitutionally entitled to lead the party after Nwosu’s resignation.

The plaintiff asked the court to cancel all decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership. He also asked the court to stop Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s national chairman and national secretary.

He argued that their emergence broke the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.

In his judgment, Lifu upheld Bala’s claims and granted the reliefs sought. This effectively cancelled the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.

INEC had earlier published Atiku’s name as the ADC candidate for the January 16, 2027 presidential election. The former vice-president had also picked Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers, as his running mate.