The Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark.
Justice Peter Lifu also invalidated all decisions the party made during Mark’s leadership.
Justice Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal. This committee conducted the primary that selected former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate.
The judge ruled in favour of former ADC National Deputy Chairman (North-East), Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe, who challenged how the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.
According to NAN, Gombe argued that after former National Chairman Chief Ralph Nwosu resigned, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership.
He asked the court to invalidate all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership and to restrain Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the National Secretary, and other caretaker committee members from presenting themselves as party leaders.
The plaintiff argued that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mark, Aregbesola, and Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the requested reliefs.
ADC National Welfare Secretary Nkemakolam Ukandu, who joined the suit as an interested party, said the party would appeal the ruling.
