Nigerian court nullifies Atiku’s ADC presidential nomination and sacks the party’s leadership

LAGOS — A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday nullified the leadership of Nigeria’s African Democratic Congress (ADC) and, with it, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s nomination as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate. Justice Peter Lifu declared the caretaker committee led by former Senate President David Mark illegal and invalidated all decisions it took, including the presidential primary, Punch reported.

The judgment followed a suit by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman, who argued that after chairman Ralph Nwosu resigned he was constitutionally entitled to take over. Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership breached the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution. The court also nullified the appointment of Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary and told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to act on decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting on 27 July 2025, according to Punch.

Lawyers for Gombe said the ruling leaves the ADC without candidates for the 2027 elections at every level, from president to state assembly. That is their reading of the judgment, and it will be tested on appeal. INEC had already published Atiku’s name as the ADC candidate for the 16 January 2027 election, and he had named former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi as running mate.

Party and candidate say they will appeal

The ADC rejected the ruling and said it would go to the Court of Appeal. It pointed to the 2 July 2026 judgment of Justice Musa Liman in a separate suit, which it says affirmed the Mark-led leadership and directed INEC to recognise it, and argued that a court of equal rank cannot overturn another’s decision, Punch reported. Atiku’s campaign said its lawyers were preparing to seek a stay of execution, and Atiku vowed to continue campaigning, with an event planned in Kebbi State after Wednesday’s launch in Sokoto. Premium Times noted that the campaign’s statement did not confirm a notice of appeal or stay application had been filed. The BBC also reported the ADC’s plan to appeal and noted that this is not the first time the same court has ruled on the party’s leadership.

AB24’s reading from Lagos: with the vote about ten weeks away, the key questions are whether the Court of Appeal grants a stay quickly, and how INEC treats the ADC’s candidate list in the meantime. Watch for a filed notice of appeal, any INEC statement, and the Lifu and Liman rulings being tested against each other.

Sources: Punch, 6 Nov 2026; Punch, 6 Nov 2026; Premium Times; TheCable; BBC News.

— AB24 · Lagos