The Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Senator David Mark as leader of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), declaring the party’s actions and decisions invalid. Among the decisions affected is the nomination of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Atiku, whose name had earlier appeared on the list of presidential candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had also selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
In a ruling delivered on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the caretaker committee headed by Mark, which conducted the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku, unlawful.
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman, North-East, of the ADC, challenging the procedure by which the Mark-led group assumed control of the party. Gombe argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the leadership of the ADC.
He subsequently asked the court to invalidate decisions and activities carried out by the Mark-led leadership in the name of the party. The defendants in the case, filed as FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, included the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu.
The plaintiff also sought an order preventing Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, arguing that their appointments contravened the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act. Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s arguments and granted the reliefs sought in the suit.
The ruling is expected to generate fresh political developments within the ADC, particularly as political activities gather momentum ahead of the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027. Meanwhile, the party has indicated its intention to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
The ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was subsequently joined in the proceedings as an interested party, confirmed that the party would appeal the decision.
