The 2027 presidential ambition of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has been thrown into fresh uncertainty after a Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), invalidating decisions taken by the National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on November 5, also rejected a disputed resignation letter allegedly written by former ADC Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, declaring him the only elected member of the party’s National Working Committee whose four-year tenure remained valid.
The ruling has deepened the ADC’s leadership crisis ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the party rejecting the court’s findings, threatening an appeal and accusing the judge of disregarding evidence, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it is awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before taking any action.
In the judgment, Justice Lifu declared that all decisions taken by the Mark-led National Working Committee since July 29, 2025, were null and void.
The court also restrained INEC from recognising Mark, former National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, and other members of their National Working Committee as national officers of the party.
However, the judge clarified that invalidating the process that produced the Mark-led leadership did not automatically make Gombe the substantive National Chairman of the ADC.
He explained that Gombe’s claim to a particular leadership position was a separate legal issue that required support from the party’s constitution, relevant evidence, and applicable laws.
Gombe had argued that he was elected Deputy National Chairman on October 12, 2022, for a four-year tenure and remained the only elected member of the National Working Committee who had not resigned following the departure of the former leadership in July 2025.
Although his tenure expired on October 11, 2026, the court declared that INEC was bound to recognise him as the only elected member whose tenure remained valid.
The ADC, however, rejected the court’s conclusion that Gombe’s resignation letter was fabricated. Its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, insisted that the party possessed the original document bearing Gombe’s signature and would challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
Abdullahi argued that INEC also had a copy of the resignation letter and accused the judge of ignoring evidence presented by the party.
Justice Lifu had explained that certification of a document did not automatically establish the authenticity of a disputed signature. He said he compared the signature on the disputed letter with those on Gombe’s sworn statements and found material differences.
Meanwhile, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission would not act on the judgment until it obtained and reviewed the certified copy.
Speaking during a webinar organised by the PUNCH Media Foundation on Wednesday, Haruna said INEC’s legal department would examine the ruling and advise the commission before a decision was taken.
The Forum of ADC Candidates in Nigeria petitioned the United Nations, United States Embassy, British High Commission, European Union and ECOWAS, alleging that the delay in releasing the certified copy was frustrating their legal options.
The candidates also petitioned the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, over the delay.
Their protest at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday was led by former ADC Acting Chairman in the Federal Capital Territory, Yusuf Shehu Tijani, who called on the National Judicial Council to intervene.
