By Sam Biodun Ogundipe in London

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under Senator David Mark, invalidating all decisions and actions taken by the party’s caretaker committee.

The ruling also affects the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgement on Thursday, declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, ruling against the process through which the committee assumed control of the party and conducted the presidential primary that produced Atiku.

According to Vanguard,, the judgement followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC (North-East), who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.

Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership of the ADC.

He consequently approached the court to challenge the takeover of the party by Mark and his allies, seeking an order invalidating decisions taken by the caretaker committee.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, the plaintiff listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.

He also asked the court to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The court ruling comes barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State as part of his activities ahead of the presidential election.