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The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the Senator David Mark-led Caretaker Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and declared null and void all official decisions and actions executed by the executive body on behalf of the political party.
The invalidated actions include the primary election that resulted in the nomination of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the ADC’s presidential flag bearer for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku, whose name had already been published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a verified candidate for the presidential race, recently selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
However, delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the constitution of the Senator Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, ruling that the leadership had no lawful authority to organize the primary election that produced Atiku.
The ruling followed a legal challenge instituted by the aggrieved former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Gombe had approached the court to contest the process that ushered in the Senator Mark-led committee to manage the affairs of the party.
The plaintiff argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was the constitutionally recognized officer mandated to assume interim leadership of the ADC. Based on this, he prayed the court to strike down all executive actions taken by the Mark-led committee.
The lawsuit, filed under suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, joined the ADC, INEC, Senator David Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and Chief Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants.
Gombe further requested an order restraining Senator Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, contending that their appointment violated both the ADC constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
In his verdict, Justice Lifu sustained the plaintiff’s arguments and granted all the sought reliefs, establishing that the committee’s formation bypassed statutory party rules.
This judicial setback arrives at a critical juncture in the political calendar, with the presidential election scheduled to hold on January 16, 2027.
The court verdict comes less than 24 hours after Atiku led a campaign flag-off rally in Sokoto State to kick off his presidential bid.
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