Court Nullifies David Mark-Led ADC Leadership, Voids Atiku’s Presidential Candidacy

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led Caretaker Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), invalidating all actions taken by the committee on behalf of the party, including the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after finding merit in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party for the North-East.

The court declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, ruling that the leadership structure responsible for organising the party’s presidential primary lacked the legal authority to do so.

The decision affects Atiku’s emergence as the ADC presidential flag bearer. His name had earlier been published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a candidate for the 2027 presidential election. He had also selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.

Gombe had approached the court to challenge the process through which the David Mark-led committee assumed control of the party’s leadership.

He argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally qualified to take over the party’s leadership.

Consequently, he asked the court to nullify the actions taken by the Mark-led leadership, arguing that the committee had no legitimate authority to act on behalf of the ADC.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu as defendants.

The ruling represents a major development in the ADC’s leadership dispute and raises questions about the validity of decisions taken by the caretaker committee, particularly the process that produced the party’s 2027 presidential candidate.