Federal High Court in Abuja declares the ADC caretaker leadership illegal, raising fresh uncertainty over Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition and the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has reportedly sacked David Mark as National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and nullified the party’s decision to field former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The ruling, delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, followed a legal challenge by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who contested the legitimacy of the party’s caretaker leadership.
The court declared the David Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, questioning the process through which the former Senate President and other members assumed leadership of the party.
The judgment also affects the emergence of Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary and raises questions about the validity of decisions taken by the caretaker leadership, including the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Atiku Abubakar, who has been associated with the ADC as a potential presidential candidate, now faces fresh uncertainty over his political platform ahead of the next presidential election.
The ruling represents a significant development in the ongoing leadership crisis within the ADC, a party that has increasingly attracted attention as a possible platform for opposition politicians seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
The legal dispute is expected to have wider implications for the party’s internal structure, its planned conventions and the political ambitions of prominent opposition figures.
The ADC may challenge the judgment at the appellate court, potentially prolonging the legal battle over the party’s leadership and its preparations for the 2027 elections.
The development comes at a critical time for opposition parties as political alignments and preparations for the next general elections continue to gather momentum.
Further details are expected as the parties involved respond to the judgment and clarify their next steps.
