BREAKING: Earthquake Rocks Atiku’s ADC As Court Sacks David Mark-Led Executives, Nullifies All Their Actions
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided by Justice Peter Lifu, earlier today Thursday sacked the Senator David Mark-led executives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and invalidated all actions they took on behalf of the party.
Actions nullified by the court included the nomination, by the executive that had former Osun State’s Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s Presidential Candidate for the 2027 presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.
The Atiku-Mark ADC faction has already vowed to appeal the judgement.
Their Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, said the verdict would be challenged at the appellate court.
Atiku, whose name was earlier published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a candidate for the presidential poll, has since chosen a former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as his Running Mate.
In the judgement, Justice Lifu declared illegal the Senator Mark-led Caretaker Committee of the ADC, which organised the primary election that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential flag bearer.
The court found merit in a suit brought before it by the aggrieved former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Gombe had approached the court to query the process through which the Senator Mark-led Committee took over the reins of leadership of the party.
He maintained that, with the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he (Gombe) was qualified to assume the party’s leadership.
Consequently, he, among other things, prayed the court to nullify all actions taken on behalf of the party by the Senator Mark-led leadership.
Listed as defendants in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, were the ADC, INEC, Senator Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Ralph Nwosu.
The plaintiff further urged the court to restrain Senator Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the ADC, insisting that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act.
