Federal High Court Nullifies Atiku Abubakar’s ADC Presidential Candidacy
Nigeria’s political landscape faces uncertainty after a Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated decisions taken under that leadership, including the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election. Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Thursday, November 5, 2026, in a case filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC deputy national chairman for the North-East. Gombe challenged how the Mark-led caretaker committee assumed control of the party. The court held that the committee’s emergence violated the ADC constitution and electoral laws. It also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting in July 2025 and subsequent actions. The decision affects more than Atiku’s presidential ambitio...