Atiku's 2027 presidential ambition suffers major blow as court nullifies ADC candidacy, sacks David Mark

Atiku's 2027 presidential ambition suffers major blow as court sacks David Mark-led ADC leadership

• A Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked the David Mark-led ADC leadership and nullified decisions taken by the executives.

• The ruling invalidated the process that produced Atiku Abubakar as the ADC's presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

• The ADC has vowed to appeal the judgment, throwing its presidential ticket and leadership structure into fresh uncertainty.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's bid to return to Aso Rock in 2027 has suffered a major setback after a Federal High Court in Abuja invalidated the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark.

The ruling also nullified decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party's candidate for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.

Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgement on Thursday, November 5, 2026, after ruling in favour of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which Mark and his allies took control of the party.

The judgement also affects the emergence of former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party's National Secretary and other appointments made under the caretaker committee.

According to Channels Television's report, the court found merit in Gombe's case and granted the reliefs he sought against the party's leadership.

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The dispute arose after former ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu resigned from his position, paving the way for Mark and other political figures to assume control of the party through a caretaker committee.

Gombe, who was the party's former National Deputy Chairman for the Northeast, argued that he was entitled to take over the leadership following Nwosu's departure.

He challenged the legitimacy of the arrangement that brought Mark in as chairman and Aregbesola as National Secretary, insisting that the process violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.

In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, Gombe asked the court to invalidate decisions taken by the caretaker committee and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party's National Chairman and National Secretary.

The defendants included the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu.

The court's decision effectively undermines the political arrangements made by the Mark-led leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party's presidential flag bearer.

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The ruling comes at a particularly sensitive time for Atiku, who had already begun preparations for the 2027 presidential election under the ADC platform.

INEC had earlier published his name as the party's presidential candidate, while the former vice president had also selected former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.

The court's decision now throws the validity of that ticket into uncertainty, as the leadership responsible for organising the primary that produced Atiku has been declared illegal.

The development also raises questions about the status of other candidates nominated by the party under the disputed leadership.

According to The Punch, the court's ruling also affected the nominations of other ADC candidates presented for the 2027 elections.

The setback comes barely a day after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his political mobilisation ahead of the election.

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Despite the court's decision, the ADC has indicated that it will challenge the ruling at the appellate court.

The party's National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the case as an interested party, confirmed that the leadership would appeal the judgment.

However, the legal challenge leaves the party facing fresh uncertainty as it prepares for the 2027 elections, with questions surrounding its leadership and the validity of its candidates now back in the spotlight.

The outcome of any appeal could prove crucial to Atiku's presidential ambition and the ADC's plans to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next general election.