The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the Federal High Court ruling nullifying the leadership of its National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidating the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
The party announced that it would contest the ruling through all judicial avenues available, contending that the decision raised worries regarding the political rights of its members and candidates in the run-up to the general elections.
Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, made this known in a statement released on Thursday.
The party further raised questions about when the judgment was delivered, implying that it occurred during heightened political activity in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.
In the statement titled ‘Lifu Judgment: APC Wants to Set Nigeria on Fire,’ the ADC stated that the ruling could impact thousands of its candidates vying for elective offices nationwide.
It said, “Yesterday, Nigerians came out in their hundreds of thousands to demonstrate their support for the ADC and our promise of making life affordable for them.
“Today, they are being told that the party that they support and the candidates that they have supported at all levels could be erased by the stroke of a reckless judicial pen.”
The ADC maintained that the matter went beyond Atiku and Mark, arguing that the judgment had implications for the participation of its members in the electoral process.
“Do these people understand what they are playing with? This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders. It is about the rights of thousands of candidates to participate in a democratic process,” it added.
The ADC further challenged the judgment, referencing a prior ruling delivered by Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 2, 2026, in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
The party stated that the previous judgment upheld the legitimacy of the Mark-led National Working Committee and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognize its leadership.
It contended that a court of coordinate jurisdiction lacked the power to review or reverse a decision reached by another court of equal jurisdiction.
The statement read, “Our objection is particularly anchored on the subsisting judgment of Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, delivered on 2 July 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led NWC and directed INEC to recognize the leadership.
“It is a settled principle of Nigerian jurisprudence that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary, or nullify the subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction.”
Emphasising its rejection of the ruling, the party said it would not accept any consequential orders arising from what it described as a flawed determination.
“The ADC, therefore, rejects any consequential orders founded on a determination that appears to disregard these fundamental legal principles,” Abdullahi said.
The party, however, stated that it was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the latest judgment to establish its precise terms and the orders made by the court.
“We have seen this script before. When they are scared that the opposition is gathering steam, they use their judges in the courts to influence legally indefensible judgments,” the statement added.
It further declared, “The ADC, therefore, rejects any consequential orders founded on a determination that appears to disregard these fundamental legal principles. However, we await the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the said judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope, and operative orders.”
The ADC also called on the judiciary to uphold democratic principles and called on the ruling All Progressives Congress to allow political competition ahead of the next general elections.
“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, not to the APC. The presidency is not an inheritance. If the president thinks he has performed well in office, why is he afraid of competition?”
The ADC also urged the judiciary not to allow itself to be used in undermining democratic processes, insisting that the dispute had implications beyond the party.
“This is not just about the ADC or Atiku Abubakar; it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” it said.
The party called on its members across the country to stay calm and obey the law as it explored every legal avenue to resolve the situation.
Chronicle NG reports that on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja annulled the leadership of the Mark-led ADC and voided decisions the party made under that leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate.
The ruling stemmed from a suit brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), who contested the process by which Mark and other caretaker committee members took control of the party.
Justice Lifu ruled that the rise of the Mark-led leadership breached the party’s constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution.
The court further directed INEC not to recognize or act upon decisions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), stated that the ruling voided all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership since July 2025.
Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), another counsel for the plaintiff, said the decision in effect left the party with no candidates for the 2027 presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly elections.
It said, “The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party. Nobody should be so desperate to retain power that they are prepared to put the entire country at risk.
“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, not to the APC. The presidency is not an inheritance. If the president thinks he has performed well in office, why is he afraid of competition?”
The ADC also urged the judiciary not to allow itself to be used in undermining democratic processes, insisting that the dispute had implications beyond the party.
“This is not just about the ADC or Atiku Abubakar; it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” it said.
The party urged its members across the country to stay calm and obey the law while it explored every legal avenue to resolve the situation.
Chronicle NG reports that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday annulled the leadership of the Mark-led ADC and voided decisions made by the party under that leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate.
The ruling stemmed from a suit filed by a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, who contested the process by which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee took control of the party.
Justice Lifu ruled that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership breached the party’s constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution.
The court further directed INEC not to recognize or act upon decisions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Counsel for the plaintiff, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), stated that the ruling invalidated all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership since July 2025.
Another counsel for the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the decision in effect left the party with no candidates for the 2027 presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly elections.
