Atiku Faces Court Setback While APC Shows Division

On Wednesday, Atiku Abubakar opened his presidential campaign in Sokoto. But on Thursday, a Federal High Court judge in Abuja voided his nomination from the official list of candidates. Just hours later, he was in Kebbi talking to voters.

The ruling also questioned the authority of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) officials who put forward candidates for other positions. In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule ordered an investigation into disturbances during Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s campaign visit. Supporters of rival governorship candidates clashed at a rally for President Bola Tinubu.

Vice President Kashim Shettima

Court Ruling and INEC's Candidate List

Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the caretaker leadership led by former Senate President David Mark was not lawfully set up. The judgement canceled the appointments of Mr Mark and other national officers, including National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola. The judge told the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ignore any decisions made by the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting on 27 July 2025 and anything that happened under that leadership, including the nomination of candidates for the 2027 elections.

The claimant, Nafiu Bala Gombe, was the ADC’s deputy national chairman for the North-East. He claimed that the party’s constitution allowed him to take over after Ralph Nwosu resigned. In suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, he asked the court to stop Messrs Mark and Aregbesola from acting as national officers and to cancel their decisions. Justice Lifu agreed with him, ruling that their emergence broke the ADC constitution and electoral law.

The Mark-led ADC argues that Thursday’s judgement contradicts a ruling delivered on 2 July by Justice Musa Liman of the same court. That earlier case was brought by Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives, who challenged the transfer of the party’s leadership to Messrs Mark and Aregbesola.

Justice Liman dismissed Mr Abejide’s case, saying the issue was an internal party matter beyond the court’s reach. He also found that Mr Abejide had no standing and had not followed the party’s internal dispute procedures. Although he said he could not take the case, the judge still looked at the important issues, saying that the leadership change followed the party’s constitution and electoral law.

Justice Liman’s ruling mentioned a National Executive Committee meeting on 29 July 2025, while Thursday’s ruling was about a meeting said to have happened on 27 July. The reports do not confirm if the dates refer to the same meeting. The cases involved different claimants, and whether their rulings conflict legally needs a closer look at their full orders and what each decided.

Atiku’s campaign spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said Atiku would challenge Thursday’s judgement and questioned why another case was pursued after Justice Liman’s ruling.

Mr Gombe’s succession case was already in the court in September 2025. In April, the Supreme Court set aside a temporary order in that case and told the Federal High Court to finish the main proceedings. Justice Lifu made that judgement on Thursday.

ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said the party was waiting for the certified judgement. Campaign council spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan said lawyers were preparing to seek interim relief, including a stay of execution.

MicroSecondNews reported that ADC welfare secretary Nkemakolam Ukandu said a notice of appeal and stay application had been filed. These filings had not been independently verified at the time, and no court order staying Thursday’s judgement had been confirmed.

Mr Gombe claimed the ruling backed his claim to the chairmanship. He told candidates chosen by his faction to get back to campaigning and said Messrs Mark and Abubakar should register in their wards before trying to work with him.

INEC’s presidential candidate list published on 31 October named Atiku and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, while its party directory identified Messrs Mark and Aregbesola as national officers. The candidate list was released before Thursday’s judgement, and the date for updating the directory has not been confirmed. INEC had not publicly explained how it would follow the ruling when it filed.

Mark's Camp Continues in Kebbi

Atiku carried on with his campaign in Kebbi on Thursday, promising to boost security, create jobs, and bring back fuel subsidies. Supporters gathered at the ADC secretariat in Birnin Kebbi before the rally. At the event, David Mark gave the party’s governorship flag to former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, even with the judgement invalidating the Mark-led leadership’s nomination decisions.

The flag presentation showed the ongoing struggle for authority within the ADC. Mr Gombe was also claiming control over the party, leaving the legal validity of its nominations unclear.

Atiku promised to improve security, create jobs, and restore fuel subsidies. His campaign had previously described a narrower proposal related to petroleum products refined in Nigeria, including discounted crude for qualifying refineries. The Kebbi speech, as reported, did not provide more details on how a refinery subsidy would help motorists with lower prices.

Mr Abdullahi accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to keep the ADC out of the election and provided no proof connecting the ruling party to the judgement.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, writing on his own social media account, rejected the blame aimed at the APC and argued that Mr Mark’s camp took over without prior approval from the party’s national executive or a convention.

Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, said voters needed clarity about their choices with the election coming up. He said courts had the power to settle disputes and called for better protection for opposition participation.