A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s nomination as the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, in a judgment that has thrown the opposition party into turmoil.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled on Thursday, November 5, that the process through which the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC emerged violated the party’s constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution. The court also invalidated the leadership of the party’s National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark.
A leadership dispute years in the making
The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman, who challenged the leadership arrangement. The court declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and nullified decisions taken under its leadership, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s flag bearer. It also invalidated the emergence of former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, and directed the electoral commission, INEC, not to recognise decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting of July 27, 2025.
The dispute traces back to the aftermath of the 2023 general elections, when opposition politicians began exploring ways to unite against the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of 2027. The party’s founding chairman, Ralph Nwosu, announced the existing leadership would step aside, David Mark emerged as interim national chairman, and Aregbesola became interim national secretary. Gombe filed his suit on September 2, 2025.
Atiku campaigns on, party to appeal
The ruling came barely 24 hours after Atiku flagged off his presidential campaign with a rally in Sokoto State on Wednesday. Leadership newspaper reported that Atiku has continued campaigning despite the judgment, while the ADC has rejected the ruling and said it will appeal to the Court of Appeal.
The judgment does not permanently bar Atiku from contesting the 2027 election — the immediate issue is the validity of his nomination under the disputed leadership — but it creates a major legal setback for his campaign and for the wider opposition. The case also exposed a split inside the judiciary itself: in July, Justice Musa Liman of the same court struck out a separate suit challenging Mark’s leadership, holding that the matter was an internal party affair over which the court lacked jurisdiction. Justice Lifu held that it was justiciable.
Sources: WeGotalk, 5 Nov 2026; The Daily Brief News, 5 Nov 2026; NGProbe, 6 Nov 2026; Spear News editorial, 6 Nov 2026.
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