The key facts

  • The court in Abuja voided the ADC leadership under David Mark and party decisions, including Atiku's nomination
  • Atiku Abubakar said he will stay in the race and will be on the ballot
  • The lawsuit was filed by former deputy party chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe

Court voids nomination, candidate vows to fight on

Former Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar said on Friday that he will remain in the race for the presidency in the 2027 elections, despite a court ruling that stripped his opposition party's leadership of authority and invalidated decisions made under it — including Atiku's nomination as candidate. The Turkish news agency Anadolu quoted his statement:.

The essence of the dispute

The ruling was issued on Thursday by the Federal High Court in Abuja: it voided the national leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) headed by former Senate President David Mark and declared invalid the decisions taken by the party under that leadership. The lawsuit was filed by the party's former deputy national chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the leadership structure and claimed that he should have taken over the party after the resignation of its previous chairman, Ralph Nwosu.

The candidate's response and context

According to Anadolu, Atiku urged his supporters to stay resolute, saying the court ruling did not reflect the will of Nigerians. He accused those in power of using political pressure and legal proceedings to weaken the opposition and

What this means for the elections

The dispute deepens uncertainty within the Nigerian opposition ahead of the 2027 vote: both the ADC leadership and Atiku's nomination as candidate are now being contested in court. Atiku served as vice president from 1999 to 2007 and has run for president several times; Tinubu, who won the 2023 election, is expected to seek re-election. It remains unclear how the litigation will affect the ADC's eventual participation in the elections — the publications cite no rulings or timelines on this.