By Fatima Saka
The legal foundation of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential ambition has suffered a major setback following a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that produced him as the party’s flag bearer.
The court, sitting in Abuja, on Thursday invalidated all actions taken by the Senator David Mark-led executives, including the conduct of the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the ADC candidate.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment, declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, thereby throwing the party’s leadership and its 2027 electoral arrangements into uncertainty.
The ruling followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the party’s former National Deputy Chairman (North-East), who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker leadership assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to assume the party’s leadership in accordance with its constitution.
He asked the court to nullify all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Senator Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The plaintiff contended 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 Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims and granted the reliefs sought.
The judgment potentially affects the validity of Atiku’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate, as well as his reported choice of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as running mate.
However, the ADC has vowed to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
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The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Mr Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined as an interested party in the suit, disclosed that the judgment would be appealed.
The ruling comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a major campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his preparations for the 2027 presidential election.
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