𝗙𝗘𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗟 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗦𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗦 𝗗𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞-𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣, 𝗡𝗨𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗨'𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗦𝗔𝗖𝗞𝗦 𝗗𝗔𝗩𝗜𝗗 𝗠𝗔𝗥𝗞-𝗟𝗘𝗗 𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣, 𝗩𝗢𝗜𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗞𝗨'𝗦 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗞𝗘𝗧

𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗜𝗛𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗔 𝗟𝗚𝗔 (𝗟𝗡𝗔™)

𝗔𝗕𝗨𝗝𝗔 | 𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗦𝗗𝗔𝗬, 𝟱 𝗡𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗥 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) headed by former Senate President, Senator David Mark, in a judgment with significant implications for the party's preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee unlawfully constituted and invalidated decisions taken under its leadership, including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party's presidential candidate.

The ruling also affected the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, alongside other national officers and candidates nominated under the disputed leadership.

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗟 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝗕𝗘𝗚𝗔𝗡

The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe.

Gombe challenged the process through which David Mark and members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party following the resignation of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu.

He maintained that the ADC constitution entitled him to assume leadership and urged the court to invalidate the appointments and decisions of the disputed caretaker committee.

The ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and Ralph Nwosu were named as defendants.

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗖 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗚𝗡𝗜𝗦𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗣𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗗 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution and relevant legal provisions.

The court consequently directed INEC not to recognise or act upon decisions taken at the party's 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.

Speaking after the judgment, counsel to Gombe, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said the ruling invalidated actions taken by the disputed leadership since July 2025.

Another counsel, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), maintained that the decision affected the party's nominations for the presidency, governorship elections, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly.

These interpretations were given by counsel representing the successful plaintiff.

𝗔𝗗𝗖 𝗦𝗘𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗟

Despite the judgment, the legal contest may not be over.

The party's National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, reportedly disclosed that the ADC would challenge the decision at the appellate court.

The ruling comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, raising questions about the ADC's leadership structure and the legal standing of its nominations.

The eventual implications will depend on subsequent judicial proceedings, including any appeal and orders issued by higher courts.

𝗟𝗡𝗔 𝗘𝗗𝗜𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗘

The Federal High Court's ruling represents a significant legal setback for the David Mark-led ADC leadership. However, the possibility of an appeal means the dispute should not yet be described as finally settled.

𝗦𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲: PUNCH Online and reported court proceedings.

𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁: Local News Agency Ihiala LGA News Desk.

𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗟 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗜𝗛𝗜𝗔𝗟𝗔 𝗟𝗚𝗔 (𝗟𝗡𝗔™)

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