A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday nullified the process that made Atiku Abubakar the African Democratic Congress candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Justice Peter Lifu declared the David Mark-led caretaker committee that ran the ADC illegal and voided its decisions, including Atiku’s emergence as flag bearer. The ruling came less than 24 hours after Atiku held a rally in Sokoto. INEC had already published his name, and he had named Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
The suit was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the party’s former North-East deputy national chairman. He argued that after national chairman Ralph Nwosu resigned, the leadership was his to take, and that Mark and Rauf Aregbesola took over without the national convention the ADC constitution and the Electoral Act require. The defendants were the ADC, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu. Justice Lifu granted the reliefs Gombe sought and, according to Legit.ng, barred Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as national chairman and national secretary. He had earlier dismissed 27 preliminary motions seeking to end the case, Lawyard reports. Tribune and Radio Nigeria add that the nominations of all 2027 candidates put forward by that leadership were also nullified.
The ADC says it will appeal. National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi called the judgment an attempt to cripple the opposition and told members to stay calm. Atiku, speaking through spokesman Phrank Shaibu, said the party will go to the Court of Appeal and called the timing suspicious. He also pointed to an earlier suit on the same dispute, FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which Justice Musa Liman of the same court dismissed.
Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo welcomed the ruling. He said the ADC was taken over without the approval of a national convention or executive committee, and rejected claims that the judgment was politically motivated.
