A Court Has Voided Atiku's ADC Candidacy, And The Mark Leadership
Abuja · Thursday 12 November 2026
The Federal High Court in Abuja has voided Atiku Abubakar's nomination as the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate for 2027. Justice Peter Lifu ruled on Thursday 5 November that the caretaker leadership headed by former Senate President David Mark (the Mark-led committee) was not validly constituted, so its decisions, including the primary that produced Atiku, could not stand. The Mark faction has said it will appeal.
What the court decided
| Issue | Finding |
|---|---|
| Who sued | Nafiu Bala, former ADC deputy national chairman |
| Mark and Aregbesola's emergence, July 2025 | Did not meet the Electoral Act's requirement for a democratic election |
| Bala's "resignation letter" | Did not carry his authentic signature |
| Atiku's nomination | Voided along with the leadership that made it |
Suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025. INEC says it is waiting for a certified copy of the judgment.
Two months before a presidential election, the main opposition party does not know, in law, who its candidate is.
What happens now
Atiku's supporters protested outside the court this week demanding the certified judgment, which is what any appeal needs. Atiku has continued to campaign as the ADC candidate, and on Wednesday his campaign accused the government of sealing Arewa House in Abuja ahead of a planned consultation there. The presidential election is on 16 January 2027. An appeal court has very little time to settle this, and every week of uncertainty helps the ADC's opponents.
Reporting: Legit.ng, Channels Television and Daily Post.
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