A federal high court in Abuja has nullified the leadership
of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Peter Lifu, presiding
judge, declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, ruling in favour of
Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former national deputy chairman (north-east) of the party.
Lifu also invalidated all decisions taken by the party’s
caretaker committee, including the nomination of Atiku Abubakar as the ADC
presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Bala approached the court to challenge the process by which
Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party
after Ralph Nwosu, the former national chairman, resigned.
He argued that, following Nwosu’s resignation, he was
constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership.
The plaintiff asked the court to nullify all decisions taken
by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from parading
themselves as the party’s national chairman and national secretary,
respectively.
He argued that their emergence violated the ADC constitution
and provisions of the Electoral Act.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC,
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as
defendants.
In his judgment, Lifu upheld Bala’s claims and granted the
reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the actions of the caretaker
committee, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s
presidential candidate.
INEC had earlier published Atiku’s name as the ADC’s
candidate for the January 16, 2027 presidential election. The former
vice-president has also picked Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers, as
his running mate.
Reacting to the ruling, Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC national
welfare secretary, said the party would challenge the judgment at the appellate
court.
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