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Party says Justice Lifu’s judgment contradicts an earlier ruling by a court of equal rank, vows to challenge it

By Our Correspondent 

ABUJA – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a Federal High Court judgment purporting to remove the Senator David Mark-led leadership and invalidate the candidacy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. The party described it as a desperate attempt by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to cripple the opposition ahead of the general elections.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja, came barely 24 hours after a massive turnout at its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto. The party said the timing exposes the ruling party’s growing panic.

“We have reasons to believe that the judgment had long been written on this case. The Sokoto rally was simply a trigger that stampeded its delivery,” the party said.

Legal objection

The ADC said it will challenge the judgment through every available judicial process, calling it legally indefensible. It anchored its objection on a subsisting judgment by Justice Musa Liman of the same court, delivered on 2 July 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025. That judgment affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership.

The party argued that under settled Nigerian jurisprudence, a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary or nullify the judgment of another court of equal standing. It rejected any consequential orders founded on a determination that “appears to disregard” this principle, but said it is awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment to establish its precise terms, scope and operative orders.

Wider implications

The ADC warned that invalidating the party’s leadership could affect thousands of candidates contesting at the local, state and federal levels.

“This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders,” the party said.

Warning to APC

The party accused the APC of using the courts to blunt a rising opposition. “We have seen this script before. When they are scared that the opposition is gathering steam, they use their judges in the courts to influence legally indefensible judgments,” it said.

It cautioned the ruling party against what it called a dangerous attempt to eliminate political competition through judicial controversies. “We warn the APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party,” the statement read.

The ADC added that “the presidency is not an inheritance,” and challenged the APC to submit to free and fair elections if it believes its policies and candidates are popular.

The APC has not yet responded to the allegations at the time of this report.