The key facts

  • The court declared invalid both Atiku's nomination and the ADC leadership headed by David Mark
  • The lawsuit was filed by former deputy party chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe
  • The ADC intends to appeal the ruling; the election is scheduled for January 16, 2027

Court overturns Atiku's nomination and decisions of the party leadership

Nigeria's Federal High Court has annulled the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 elections. According to Anadolu, Judge Peter Lifu also declared invalid the party's national working committee led by former Senate President David Mark, ruling that it had been formed unlawfully and had no right to act on behalf of the party.

Who challenged the ADC leadership, and why

The lawsuit was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC. He challenged the process by which Mark and his supporters took control of the party after the departure of the previous national chairman, Ralph Nwosu. Gombe argued that after Nwosu's departure it was he who, under the party's constitution, had the right to lead the party, and asked the court to declare invalid the decisions of the leadership headed by Mark. The court sided with him, declaring unlawful the actions of the contested leadership, including the primary at which Atiku became the party's candidate.

What this means for the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections

The ruling is a serious blow to opposition attempts to unite under the ADC banner to challenge President Bola Tinubu's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Atiku, who served as Vice President of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, had already begun his presidential campaign and chosen former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as his vice-presidential running mate. The ADC has said it intends to appeal the court's decision, meaning the legal battle over the party's leadership and its election preparations will continue. Nigeria's presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027; according to the publication, the key campaign issues are expected to be security, economic hardship, unemployment and questions of democratic governance.