Atiku Continues Campaigning Amid Court Order Voiding His Candidacy

• ADC: Judgement will be challenged through every available judicial process
• Nafiu Bala rules out reconciling with Mark Lawyers urge caution

By OLAKUNLE OLASANMI, Abuja, and BABAJI USMAN BABAJI, Gombe

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday continued his presidential campaign in Kebbi State despite a Federal High Court judgement in Abuja nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark and the process through which Atiku emerged as the party’s presidential candidate.

Atiku, who said he would appeal the judgement, proceeded to Kebbi for a previously scheduled campaign rally hours after the court delivered its ruling.

Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal and nullified the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer.

READ ALSO: Court Judgment On Mark, Atiku: Don’t Set Nigeria On Fire, ADC Warns APC

The judgement followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.

Following the ruling, Gombe declared that the court had affirmed his position as the party’s legitimate national chairman. He also ruled out reconciliation with Atiku and Mark ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking exclusively to LEADERSHIP Friday yesterday, Gombe directed the governorship and other candidates nominated by his leadership to resume their campaigns, insisting that they were the legitimate ADC candidates.

Court Sacks Mark-Led Leadership, Nullifies Primaries

Justice Lifu also nullified the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, the appointments of other national officers and the nominations of candidates presented by the Mark-led faction for the 2027 elections.

Gombe had argued that following the resignation of former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership. He asked the court to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants.

Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution. He also ordered INEC not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of July 27, 2025.

Gombe’s lawyer, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said the court had nullified all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership since July 2025.

He said the court found that the leadership did not emerge through lawful constitutional means and that there were flagrant breaches of the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

“The implication is that INEC, which has the duty to ensure that happens in line with Section 223 of the Constitution, has now been ordered not to recognise and not to act on all the decisions taken at the 99th NEC meeting of the party on July 27, 2025.

“All the actions taken by the ADC as a party since July 27 to date stand annulled,” he said.

Another lawyer to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the judgement left the ADC without candidates for elective positions in the 2027 elections, from the presidency to the House of Assembly.

He said the substantive issue had been determined after the interlocutory proceedings went to the Supreme Court, which directed that the matter return to the trial court.

Atiku Continues Campaign, Promises Security, Subsidy Return

Unfazed by the judgement, Atiku campaigned in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, promising to restore security and bring back fuel subsidy if elected president in 2027.

His visit came barely 24 hours after he flagged off his presidential campaign in Sokoto State. There was a heavy security presence ahead of his arrival.

Addressing supporters, Atiku said the 2027 elections would be a referendum on the federal government’s policies and the struggle of Nigerians to survive. He also criticised projects presented as achievements of the Tinubu administration, describing them as legacies of the late President Muhammadu Buhari.

Earlier, Atiku had condemned the judgement, describing it as a calculated attempt to weaken the ADC and frustrate his candidacy.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku questioned the timing of the ruling, which came barely a day after the party’s campaign rally in Sokoto.

“The people of Sokoto came out in their thousands because they are hungry for change and believe in our promise to make life affordable again. What we witnessed in Sokoto is only the beginning. The people of Kebbi will have their say, and so will Nigerians across the country as our campaign moves forward,” he said.

Atiku also cited an earlier judgement by Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, which dismissed a challenge to the Mark-led leadership in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.

He said the court had upheld the defendants’ objections on jurisdiction, standing and failure to exhaust internal party remedies.

“Why, after that judgement, was another case filed to reopen the same dispute? This is a calculated attempt to circumvent a subsisting judgement. We will challenge this judicial manoeuvre at the Court of Appeal,” he said.

Atiku urged supporters to remain calm and law-abiding, insisting that the campaign would continue.

“Our Affordable Life campaign will continue because Nigerians deserve relief from this crushing cost-of-living crisis. We urge our supporters to remain resolute, take our message from house to house and door to door, and stay peaceful and focused. There is no shaking,” he said.

ADC Accuses APC Of Plot To Cripple Opposition

Reacting to the judgement, the Mark-led ADC described it as an attempt to cripple the opposition and deny Nigerians the right to choose their leaders.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said the timing of the ruling, barely 24 hours after its Sokoto rally, exposed what it called the desperation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party alleged that the judgement had long been prepared and that the Sokoto rally triggered its delivery.

It warned that the ruling could affect thousands of ADC candidates seeking elective offices at local, state and federal levels.

“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 statement said.

The party maintained that the judgement was legally indefensible, citing Justice Liman’s July 2, 2026, ruling in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which it said affirmed the legitimacy of the Mark-led National Working Committee and directed INEC to recognise the leadership.

It argued that a court of coordinate jurisdiction could not review or nullify the subsisting judgement of another court of equal jurisdiction.

The ADC, however, said it was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the latest judgement to establish its precise terms and scope, adding that it would challenge the ruling through available judicial processes.

Nafiu Bala Rules Out Reconciliation

Gombe directed candidates nominated by his faction to resume campaigning, insisting that they were the legitimate candidates of the party.

“I am issuing a directive to all our candidates: wherever you are, if we nominated you, continue your campaign. You are the legitimate candidate,” he said.

He said his faction would resume political activities with Professor Chris Uba and other candidates.

On reconciliation with the Mark-led faction, Gombe said the opposing camp must first fulfil the party’s membership requirements by registering in their respective wards.

“I call on Atiku Abubakar and David Mark to go to their respective wards, register officially as members of the ADC, and join us so that we can work together for the success of the ADC.

“How can you reconcile with someone who has not joined your party? Let them go and understand the rules and procedures, then officially join our party,” he said.

He urged members of the opposing faction to support his candidates, arguing that the deadline for primaries and nominations had passed.

Gombe also dismissed the possibility of another appeal, describing it as an academic exercise, and insisted that his faction would continue its activities regardless of further legal action.

Lawyers Urge Caution

Senior lawyers who spoke to LEADERSHIP cautioned against using the courts to scuttle the electoral process, urging aggrieved parties to seek redress through the appropriate judicial channels.

Abdul Balogun (SAN) said any party dissatisfied with the judgement had the right to appeal, noting that the High Court was not the final court in the matter.

He, however, urged the judiciary not to allow politicians to use the courts to secure favourable decisions.

A professor of law, Pete Adeyi, also urged the parties to obey the judgement pending its possible reversal by a higher court and advised the aggrieved faction not to take the law into its hands.

“The party that is dissatisfied still has an option of appeal. They need to abide by the judgement of the court pending the pronouncement of a higher court on the matter,” he said.

Constitutional lawyer, Barrister Paul Omoh, said the judiciary had held the country together over the years and would not scuttle the electoral process.

He said the judgement meant that the Mark-led executive committee lacked the authority to conduct the primaries that produced candidates for various elective positions. He urged the parties to follow the rule of law and call on their supporters to maintain order.

ADC Leadership Crisis: How It Began

The ADC leadership crisis began in 2025, shortly after prominent opposition politicians adopted the party as their main opposition platform.

Besides Atiku and Mark, those associated with the platform included former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, who later left; former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai; Aregbesola; former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi; former House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal; and former Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke.

On July 2, 2025, Nwosu announced the resignation of the party’s National Working Committee, saying the decision followed consultations with stakeholders. This paved the way for the emergence of the Mark-led leadership, which became substantive after the party’s convention.

Gombe rejected the arrangement, insisting that he was constitutionally entitled to become acting national chairman following Nwosu’s resignation. He subsequently approached the court to challenge Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the new leadership.

As the dispute escalated, INEC announced that it would refrain from recognising either faction or monitoring the party’s congresses and conventions until the legal issues were resolved. The rival camps subsequently held parallel congresses and primaries.

In July 2026, a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit filed by House of Representatives member, Leke Abejide, challenging the Mark-led leadership. Days earlier, the Mark-led faction had received an access code from INEC for its candidates.

Gombe’s suit, however, remained pending until yesterday’s ruling, reopening the battle for control of the opposition party.