A lawyer representing the African Democratic Congress, Kalu Kalu, has insisted that the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party did not invalidate former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s candidacy for the January 16, 2027, presidential election.
Kalu said the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu did not expressly nullify Atiku’s nomination or that of other candidates produced under the Mark-led leadership, arguing that some Nigerians were reading conclusions into the ruling that were not contained in its orders.
He stated this during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday while responding to concerns over the implications of the judgment for the ADC’s participation in the 2027 general elections.
“There is no portion of that judgment that voids the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar and the other candidates of the party,” he said.
Kalu maintained that the court did not make any specific order cancelling Atiku’s nomination as the party’s presidential candidate.
“The judgment of Honourable Justice Peter O. Lifu does not in any way void the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar for the presidential election coming up on the 16th day of January 2027,” he added.
The lawyer blamed the controversy on interpretations circulating on social media, insisting that the public had attributed decisions to the court that were not expressly contained in its judgment.
“It’s just people, the social media we have in Nigeria, just imported what is not explicitly stated in that judgment,” he added.
The controversy followed the November 5 judgment in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, challenging the emergence of the Mark-led leadership after the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, and other executives in July 2025.
Gombe had argued that the vacancies created by the resignations should have been filled through a democratic process in accordance with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
In his judgment, Lifu nullified the emergence of Mark and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The judge declared that all actions, decisions and steps taken by Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the National Working Committee from July 29, 2025, were null and void.
The court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or dealing with Mark, Aregbesola and other members of the committee as national officers of the party.
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, through which the Mark-led leadership emerged.
