The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, invalidating decisions taken by the party under the disputed leadership, including the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after upholding a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party for the North-East.
The court declared illegal the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which supervised the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer.
The judgment also affected the emergence of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary, as well as other decisions and candidate nominations made under the disputed leadership.
Gombe had approached the court to challenge 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, Chief Ralph Nwosu.
The plaintiff argued that his position as former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) en