SNOW TV NEWS DESK
The political future of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been thrown into uncertainty following a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja that removed the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party and nullified decisions taken under its authority.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, November 5, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal, effectively invalidating the actions it carried out on behalf of the party. One of the major consequences of the ruling is the nullification of the process that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The judgment could significantly alter the party’s political calculations ahead of the presidential election scheduled for January 16, 2027.
According to reports by Channels Television, the court upheld a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the party’s former National Deputy Chairman (North-East), who challenged the process through which Mark and his allies assumed control of the ADC.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership rather than have a caretaker committee take over the party’s affairs.
He consequently approached the court seeking to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and prevent David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The plaintiff maintained that their emergence violated the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.
Those listed as defendants in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, included the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and Ralph Nwosu.
The court found merit in Gombe’s arguments and granted the reliefs he sought.
The ruling has serious implications for Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as the ADC’s presidential candidate. Atiku had also selected former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate ahead of the 2027 election.
With the court now invalidating the actions of the leadership that supervised the party’s primary, questions have emerged over the validity of the presidential ticket and the ADC’s next political steps.
The party has, however, vowed to appeal the judgment, setting the stage for another legal battle that could further shape its leadership and preparations for the forthcoming general elections.
“Sir Bartholomew White Ebe is a Lagos-based media personality, Music Artist, Producer, and a Relationship Coach and independent journalist. With over seven years of experience tracking political developments and cultural shifts in Nigeria, he specializes in local current affairs, grassroots politics, and community-driven reporting across Lagos State. As the founder and chief editor of Snow Multimedia Connect {SNOW TV}, he leads the editorial team to deliver verified, high-impact stories to digital audiences.”
Email: snowmediaconnect@gmail.com
