JUST IN: Court removes David Mark-led ADC management, nullifies Atiku’s presidential ticket

A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the management of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark.

The courtroom additionally invalidated selections taken by the Mark-led caretaker committee, together with the method that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar because the occasion’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, who dominated in favour of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman for the North-East, who had challenged the legitimacy of the occasion’s present management.

Why the courtroom eliminated David Mark’s management

The authorized dispute adopted the resignation of Ralph Nwosu, the previous nationwide chairman of the ADC, after which Mark and different occasion figures assumed management by way of a caretaker committee.

Bala challenged the association, arguing that the ADC structure entitled him to take over the occasion’s management following Nwosu’s departure.

He maintained that the emergence of Mark as nationwide chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as nationwide secretary didn’t adjust to the occasion’s structure or related provisions of the Electoral Act.

In the swimsuit, Bala requested the courtroom to declare the caretaker committee’s management unlawful and invalidate selections taken beneath its authority.

He additionally sought an order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves because the occasion’s nationwide chairman and nationwide secretary, respectively.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.

In his judgment, Justice Lifu upheld Bala’s arguments and granted the reliefs sought, successfully nullifying the choices of the Mark-led caretaker committee.

Reacting to the judgment, Nkemakolam Ukandu, the ADC National Welfare Secretary, mentioned the occasion would problem the choice on the appellate courtroom.