The political future of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his ambition to contest the 2027 presidential election have been thrown into uncertainty following a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress led by former Senate President, David Mark.
The judgment, delivered on November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, declared the Mark-led caretaker leadership invalid and nullified decisions taken under its authority, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
Bala argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to assume leadership in accordance with the party’s constitution.
The court upheld his position, creating fresh uncertainty over the ADC’s leadership structure and its preparations for the 2027 general election.
Atiku, however, has rejected the judgment and vowed to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
In a statement issued through his campaign spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice-President described the ruling as an attempt to weaken the opposition and frustrate his presidential ambition.
Atiku also questioned the timing of the judgment, noting that it came shortly after an ADC campaign rally in Sokoto State.
He maintained that an earlier Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Musa Liman had dismissed a challenge to the Mark-led leadership.
The ADC has also announced that it has appealed the latest judgment and applied for a stay of execution, asking the Independent National Electoral Commission to avoid taking steps that could affect the party while the legal proceedings remain pending.
The party’s leadership insists that its political activities and preparations for the 2027 elections will continue despite the legal challenge.
However, the development has raised important questions about the validity of the party’s leadership, the status of Atiku’s nomination and whether the ADC can resolve its internal disagreements before the electoral process advances.
The crisis has also created uncertainty for other politicians who joined the party under the coalition arrangement, including those seeking elective positions at state and federal levels.
Meanwhile, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the ADC would participate in the 2027 general elections but warned that candidates produced by the Mark-led faction could face difficulties if the judgment remains in force.
He said the final outcome would depend on the determination of the legal dispute, including possible appeals before the Supreme Court.
For Atiku, the immediate challenge is to secure a favourable legal outcome while maintaining his political activities and the support of party members.
The coming weeks are therefore expected to be important for the ADC as the Court of Appeal considers the challenge and the party seeks clarity over its leadership.
Whether Atiku’s presidential ambition will proceed under the ADC platform will depend largely on the final judicial decisions and the party’s ability to address its internal leadership dispute.
For now, the 2027 ambition remains surrounded by legal uncertainty, with the opposition party facing the task of resolving its crisis while preparing for the next general election.
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