The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it will not take a stance on the leadership crisis affecting the African Democratic Congress until it receives and reviews the certified true copy of the Federal High Court judgment that invalidated the David Mark-led leadership of the party.
INEC’s stance came after Thursday’s ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which annulled the Mark-led caretaker committee and voided decisions made under its leadership, including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
In an interview, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission’s next step after the judgment would be to first obtain the certified true copy before reaching any decision.
“We can’t take a position until we see the judgement ourselves. We have to get the certified true copy because we don’t take decisions or reports of what the court said based on reports because the reports could be wrong,” he said.
Haruna further stated that the issue would be taken up during the commission’s meeting next week.
“Well, this one is very straightforward even then; we are all here till next week when the commission meets. We will have to meet over it,” he said.
Haruna further stated that the commission would abide by any subsequent court order resulting from an appeal filed by the Mark-led faction.
“Obviously, if the David Mark faction should appeal, which I am sure they will, and they get an injunction for stay of execution, obviously, we’ll have to obey that judgement,” he added.
On Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja annulled the leadership of the Mark-led caretaker committee, ruling that its formation violated the ADC constitution, the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution.
The ruling came in a suit numbered FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), who contested the process by which Mark and the other caretaker committee members took control of the party.
Gombe contended that after the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, resigned, he was constitutionally entitled to assume its leadership.
He therefore urged the court to nullify the actions of the Mark-led leadership and to bar Mark and former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
In granting the suit, Justice Lifu annulled the process that produced the caretaker committee as well as the party’s presidential primary, which made Atiku its flag bearer for the 2027 elections.
The court likewise voided Aregbesola’s emergence as National Secretary, the appointments of the other national officers, and the nominations of candidates the party put forward for the 2027 general elections.
It further directed INEC not to recognize or act on any decisions reached at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The defendants named in the suit were the ADC, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola, and Nwosu.
