By Eshioromeh Sebastian
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the Federal High Court judgment that nullified its leadership and invalidated the 2027 presidential candidacy of Atiku Abubakar, describing the ruling as a political ambush and accusing the All Progressives Congress (APC) of using the courts to cripple the opposition.
The judgment, delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and voided all decisions taken under it, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate. The court also cancelled the nominations of all ADC candidates for the 2027 general elections, holding that they emerged from an illegal leadership structure.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the ruling as “another desperate attempt to cripple the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to choose their leaders.” The party questioned the timing of the judgment, noting it came barely 24 hours after a massive turnout at its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto, suggesting the ruling had “long been written” and the rally was “simply a trigger that stampeded its delivery.”
“This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders,” the ADC said, warning that the decision could affect thousands of its candidates across local, state and federal levels.
The party also argued that the judgment contradicted an earlier ruling by Justice Musa Liman of the same court on July 2, 2026, which it said affirmed the legitimacy of the Mark-led National Working Committee and directed INEC to recognise the leadership. The ADC maintained that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over another court of equal jurisdiction.
Warning the APC directly, the party said: “Do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party.” It added: “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 said it would challenge the judgment through every available judicial process but was awaiting the Certified True Copy to ascertain its precise terms and orders.
Discussion about this post