INEC to meet over Atiku’s 2027 ADC ticket

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will meet next week to consider the implications of the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2027 presidential candidate.

The commission said it would not take a position on the party’s leadership crisis until it obtained and examined the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.

The Federal High Court in Abuja had, on Thursday, nullified the Mark-led caretaker committee and invalidated decisions taken under its leadership, including the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Speaking on Sunday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission would not rely on media reports to determine the court’s position.

“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,” he said.

Haruna added that the commission would deliberate on the matter at its 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 said.

He also said INEC would comply with any further court order arising 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 added.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Thursday nullified the leadership of the Mark-led caretaker committee, ruling that its emergence contravened the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed by a 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.

Gombe argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over its leadership.

He 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.

In its ruling, the court nullified the process through which the caretaker committee emerged and the party conducted its presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer for the 2027 elections.

The court also invalidated Aregbesola’s emergence as National Secretary, the appointments of other national officers and the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the 2027 general elections.

It further directed INEC not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025. The ADC, INEC, Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.