BREAKING: Court Sacks David Mark-Led ADC Exco, Nullifies Atiku’s 2027 Presidential Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the Senator David Mark-led National Executive of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring its actions on behalf of the party invalid, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which organised the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku, illegal.
The court also upheld the claims of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.

Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally qualified to take over the party’s leadership.

He subsequently approached the court, seeking to nullify all decisions and actions taken by the Senator Mark-led leadership. He also asked the court to restrain Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Senator David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
The judgment is a major setback for Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election. He had also selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.

Reacting to the ruling, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, said the party would challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.

The development comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his political activities ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
The ruling is expected to trigger fresh political developments within the opposition party.