BY TAIBAT UMMI YAKUBU

The leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a fresh turn after the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the party's leadership structure under former Senate President David Mark, throwing its recent political decisions into legal uncertainty.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led leadership illegal and set aside all decisions taken by the committee since it assumed control of the party.

The ruling also invalidated the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which oversaw the party's activities, including the primary election that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The judgment followed a legal challenge instituted by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman (North-East), who disputed the process through which Mark and his allies took over the party's leadership.

Gombe argued that the resignation of the party's former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, automatically entitled him to assume the leadership in accordance with the ADC constitution.

He approached the court seeking an order to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led faction and prevent Mark, National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the caretaker committee from presenting themselves as the party's legitimate leaders.

The former deputy chairman further argued that the emergence of the caretaker leadership breached the ADC constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act.

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The case, filed as FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as the first to fifth defendants.

In resolving the dispute, Justice Lifu upheld Gombe's arguments and granted the reliefs he requested, effectively stripping the Mark-led leadership of its authority and invalidating decisions taken under its control.

The ruling has direct implications for the party's preparations for the 2027 elections, particularly the presidential primary that produced Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer.

However, the ADC has indicated that it will challenge the judgment at a higher court.

The party's National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who participated in the case as an interested party, confirmed the decision to appeal shortly after the judgment was delivered.