Background

  1. The controversy surrounding the African Democratic Congress (ADC) stems from a legal suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025) instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party. Gombe challenged the legitimacy of the caretaker committee led by former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, arguing that following the resignation of former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership.
  2. In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja, the court declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal. As a consequence, the court voided all decisions made under that administration, including the primary election that nominated former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential flagbearer for the 2027 elections alongside candidate selections across other elective posts.

 

Nigeria’s electoral body has signaled a cautious stance following the high-stakes Federal High Court judgment that invalidated the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and threw its nominations for the 2027 general elections into jeopardy.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) clarified that it has not yet made any official pronouncements or procedural moves regarding the court’s decision. Speaking on the development, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated that the commission has not taken a decision on the implications of the ruling because it is yet to be officially served with the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court document.

The electoral chief’s clarification aims to douse heavy speculation across political circles and social media platforms, where conflicting reports had claimed INEC had already moved to strike off former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other ADC candidates from the official party roster.

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The court ruling, handed down by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja, declared the David Mark-led Caretaker Committee unconstitutional, effectively nullifying all primary elections and candidate nominations conducted under its tenure. The decision targeted the ADC’s presidential ticket, which produced Atiku as its candidate, threatening to block one of the primary opposition contenders ahead of the 2027 election cycle.

However, the legal struggle is far from concluded. The ADC national leadership has firmly rejected the judgment, confirming that it has filed an appeal alongside an urgent application for a stay of execution. Party officials insist that until higher courts hear the appeal, the current executive committee remains in control and its candidate nominations hold ground.

The Legal Dilemma

The controversy leaves electoral administrators at a critical juncture:

  1.   Should INEC await the appellate court’s verdict? Under established judicial precedents, filing a stay of execution and taking an appeal to higher courts often preserves the status quo, preventing sudden disruption to the party’s election preparations until a final ruling is delivered.
  2.   Or should INEC immediately enforce the trial court order once served? Proponents of strict enforcement argue that court orders are binding upon service until formally set aside or suspended by an explicit court injunction, meaning INEC would be bound to enforce the lower court’s directive upon receiving the CTC.

As legal teams brace for the appellate battle, all eyes remain on INEC’s next official step once the Certified True Copy of the judgment lands on the commission’s desk.