*As court sacks David Mark-led ADC NWC, nullifies his emergence as party presidential candidate
By Patrick Wemambu
African Democratic Congress David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) Thursday was sacked by the Federal High Court in Abuja which also invalidated all decisions taken by the party under its leadership, including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Presiding over proceedings, Justice Peter Lifu, in his judgment, declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, nullifying the process through which it conducted the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer.
The court also nullified the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, as well as the appointments of other national officers and the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the 2027 elections.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership.
He consequently asked the court to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party, respectively.
The ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.
Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The court also ordered INEC not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Meanwhile, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to challenge Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by former Senate President David Mark at the Court of Appeal.
This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, titled ‘The Panic Is Real — Atiku’.
Atiku described the judgment as an attempt to weaken the opposition party and frustrate his presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking further, he also questioned why another suit was instituted against the Mark-led leadership despite an earlier judgment by the same Federal High Court, which he said had affirmed its legitimacy.
The former Vice-President further questioned the timing of the judgment, which came barely a day after a large crowd attended the ADC campaign rally in Sokoto State.
