By Barth Ikiebe
Nigerians have flooded social media with reactions after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja sacked the David Mark-led executives of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and nullified the candidacy of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Among the actions thrown out by the court was the nomination of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Atiku, whose name had already been published by INEC as a candidate for the presidential poll, had picked former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
But on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the Mark-led caretaker committee of the ADC was illegal.
The judgment followed a legal challenge by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who disputed the emergence of the Mark-led executives.
The ruling represents a major legal setback for the ADC as the party prepares for the 2027 general election.
Reacting on X, some Nigerians accused President Bola Tinubu of not resting, indirectly blaming him for the court judgment.
They equally urged the President to allow the opposition to breathe.
An official of the Tinubu’s campaign Organisation has distance itself from the Court judgment, stating that the case was instituted by an ADC member.
“Why should the President’s name be dragged into such a matter,” the official queried.
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had earlier nullified the processes that led to the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the 2027 general election.
The court also nullified the emergence of former Senate President David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and others as national officers of the party.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu upheld the case instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of the David Mark-led leadership.
The judge ruled that the processes through which Mark, Aregbesola and other officials assumed leadership positions in the party were unlawful.
Consequently, the court nullified all actions taken by the David Mark-led leadership in the name of the ADC.
Justice Lifu further held that all candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 general election had their nominations invalidated, having emerged through what the court described as an illegal leadership structure.
