The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will deliberate on the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress and its implications for former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential ticket at its meeting next week.
The commission, however, said it would not take any position on the matter until it obtained and studied the certified true copy of the Federal High Court judgment which nullified the leadership of the David Mark-led caretaker committee.
INEC’s position followed Thursday’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which invalidated the emergence of the Mark-led leadership and decisions taken under its authority, including Atiku’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission needed to examine the court’s official judgment before determining its next line of action.
“We can’t take a position until we see the judgment ourselves. We have to get the certified true copy because we don’t take decisions or reports of what the court said based on reports because the reports could be wrong,” Haruna said.
He confirmed that the commission would consider the matter at its scheduled meeting next week.
“Well, this one is very straightforward even then, we are all here till next week when the commission meets. We will have to meet over it,” he added.
Haruna also indicated that the commission would comply with any further court order that might arise from an appeal by the Mark-led faction.
“Obviously, if the David Mark faction should appeal, which I am sure they will, and they get an injunction for stay of execution, obviously, we’ll have to obey that judgment,” he said.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who nullified the Mark-led caretaker committee on the grounds that its emergence violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, was instituted by a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe.
Gombe had challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
He argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership of the party.
The plaintiff consequently asked the court to invalidate the actions of the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party respectively.
The court’s decision has raised questions about the leadership structure of the ADC and the status of political decisions taken under the caretaker committee ahead of the 2027 general elections.
