Nigeria: Court Nullifies Atiku's Candidacy, Sacks All ADC Candidates, Party Leadership

What the report says

A Federal High Court in Abuja has invalidated the African Democratic Congress presidential ticket held by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and removed the party’s current national leadership, according to Premium Times, which was distributed by AllAfrica. The ruling was delivered by Judge Peter Lifu and also affected other national officers, including Rauf Aregbesola, as well as candidates the party submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 elections.

The case was brought by former ADC deputy national chairman for the North-East, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process that brought David Mark and other party figures into leadership. The court said the caretaker committee that organized the primary producing Atiku as flag bearer was not legally constituted. It also ordered INEC not to recognize decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting in July 2025.

If the ruling is upheld on appeal, the ADC could be blocked from presenting candidates in the next general elections, a significant setback for one of the opposition parties seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress. The outcome is likely to move quickly into higher courts, where the dispute may be reviewed before the election season begins. Background on Nigeria’s electoral process suggests party leadership disputes can have major effects on nomination rights, but the final legal position will depend on further court decisions.