ADC fumes over court judgment sacking Mark, Atiku, warns APC
By Nefishetu Yakubu
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the court judgment which sacked David Mark-led leadership and invalidated Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate as an attempt to cripple opposition.
The Party said this while rejecting the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of Federal High Court, Abuja on Thursday.
Justice Lifu, in a judgment had in the judgment invalidated all decisions taken by the party under the Mark-led leadership, including the May 25 presidential election in which former Vice President Atiku Abubakar won.
Justice Lifu declared as illegal the Mark-led interim National Working Committee (NWC).
The judge agreed with Mr Nafiu-Bala Gombe, the ADC’s aggrieved National Deputy Chairman, North-East, of ADC, that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola and other interim NWC members as party’s leaders breached the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
However, reacting to the judgment, ADC said it was an attempt to cripple the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to freely choose their leaders.
ADC, in the issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi also faulted the timing of the judgment, barely 24 hours after the party’s presidential campaign rally in Sokoto.
The APC spokesperson alleged that the judgment had long been prepared but was hurriedly delivered following the massive turnout at the Sokoto rally.
Abdullahi also claimed that Nigerians had demonstrated overwhelming support for the ADC and its promise to make life affordable, only to be confronted with a judgment threatening the party and its candidates.
He added that the judgment could affect thousands of its candidates who are contesting elections at local, state and federal levels.
He maintained that the matter extended beyond Atiku and Mark, insisting that it concerned the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their leaders.
Abdullahi described the judgment as legally indefensible, saying that ADC would challenge it through every available judicial process.
He recalled an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Musa Liman of the same court on July 2, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
He said the judgment affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership.
According to Abdullahi, a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary, or nullify a subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction.
However, the ADC said it was awaiting a certified true copy of Justice Lifu’s judgment to establish its precise terms, scope and consequential orders.
The party also accused the APC of attempting to eliminate political competition through what he described as judicial manoeuvres, warning that such actions could threaten the country’s peace and democratic stability.
“We warn the APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party,” he said.
He said the party was waiting for the Certified True Copy of the latest judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope and consequential orders.
It alleged that the development reflected a pattern of using judicial processes to weaken opposition parties whenever they gained political momentum.
He also called on the judiciary not to allow itself to be used, insisting that Nigeria belonged to its citizens and not any political party.
He urged ADC members nationwide to remain calm and law-abiding while pursuing all available legal avenues to address the situation.