Just In: Court sacks David Mark, voids Atiku’s 2027 presidential candidacy

A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general elections.

The court also invalidated the appointments of former Senate President David Mark and former Minister Rauf Aregbesola as national officers of the party.

Presiding Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025. The judge held that all candidates nominated for the 2027 polls have their nominations cancelled on account of emerging from an illegal and unlawful leadership structure.

The judgment upheld the prayers of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who approached the court to challenge the legitimacy of the party’s caretaker committee.

Gombe argued that after the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally mandated to assume the leadership of the party.

Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff, restraining Mark, Aregbesola, and other members of their committee from parading themselves as valid leaders of the ADC.

The court added that their emergence grossly violated both the party’s constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

Reacting to the judicial pronouncement, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined as an interested party, urged calm among supporters. He confirmed that the party had rejected the ruling and would immediately proceed to the appellate court to seek redress.