The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the emergence of former Senate President David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The party said it would challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal, insisting that the judgment did not invalidate the leadership structure established by its members.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had on Thursday declared the Mark-led National Working Committee illegal and nullified all actions taken by it, including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the judgment, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council said the ruling could not override an earlier decision by a court of coordinate jurisdiction which, according to the council, had affirmed the emergence of Mark and Aregbesola as party leaders.
In a statement issued by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the council said Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court had previously examined the leadership dispute and upheld the transfer of leadership from former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu to Mark.
The council explained that the process began with a stakeholders’ meeting on July 2, 2025, followed by the party’s National Executive Committee meeting on July 29, 2025, where Mark and Aregbesola emerged as National Chairman and National Secretary.
It added that the meeting was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to the council, the leadership dispute had already been considered by a court of coordinate jurisdiction, arguing that the latest judgment should not displace the earlier decision without regard to established judicial principles.
“The leadership question has already been subjected to judicial scrutiny by a court of coordinate jurisdiction. It is, therefore, untenable to suggest that a subsequent pronouncement can simply erase or displace an existing judicial decision without due regard to the principles governing judicial authority and the administration of justice,” the statement said.
The campaign council disclosed that its legal team was taking steps to seek appropriate interim relief, including a stay of execution where legally applicable, before proceeding with an appeal.
It also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to weaken the opposition through the court judgment, although it did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
The council urged party members and supporters to remain calm, insisting that the development would not halt its political activities.
Meanwhile, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the APC of using the judiciary to undermine opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party alleged that the judgment had been prepared before its recent rally in Sokoto, claiming that the event influenced the timing of its delivery.
“This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders. It is about the rights of thousands of candidates to participate in a democratic process,” the party said.
The court had delivered its judgment in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman for the North-East, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that he was entitled to take over the party’s leadership following Nwosu’s resignation.
Justice Lifu upheld his claims and granted the reliefs sought, effectively invalidating the process that produced Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate.
