By George Omagbemi
The Federal High Court’s decision nullifying the leadership of the David Mark-led African Democratic Congress (ADC) caretaker committee has thrown former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential ambition into uncertainty.
In a judgment delivered on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led committee’s emergence illegal and invalidated decisions taken under its leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the party, who challenged the leadership transition following the resignation of former chairman Ralph Nwosu.
Atiku rejected the judgment and vowed to challenge it at the Court of Appeal, describing it as an attempt to weaken the opposition. The ADC has also indicated that it will appeal.
The development has introduced fresh uncertainty into the opposition’s preparations for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.
One possibility discussed in political circles is that Atiku could eventually support Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), whose running mate is former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Such an arrangement could bring together political networks that contested separately in 2023. However, there is no confirmed agreement, and Atiku’s supporters are not guaranteed to transfer their loyalty to another candidate.
While the ruling could initially deepen opposition divisions, any subsequent alliance could reshape the political contest.
For now, Atiku’s appeal remains a major factor, and the final legal outcome is yet to be determined.
Leave a Reply