ADC Heads to Appeal Court as Atiku Vows to Remain in 2027 Race, Amaechi Faults Judgement
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced plans to challenge the Federal High Court judgement that nullified its David Mark-led national leadership and invalidated the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
While Atiku has declared that he is not abandoning his presidential ambition, his running mate, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, has also criticised the judgement, describing it as legally flawed and insisting that the party will challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
The reactions came on Friday, November 6, following Thursday’s judgement delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
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Atiku: We Will Be on the Ballot
Atiku, through a statement issued from Sokoto on Friday, maintained that the court ruling would not stop his presidential ambition or the ADC’s campaign.
The former Vice-President declared:
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“I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot. No threat, blackmail or court manoeuvre will make me abandon you or the cause we share.”
He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku also questioned why another legal challenge was instituted against the David Mark-led leadership despite an earlier Federal High Court judgement which, according to him, had resolved similar issues in favour of the Mark-led group.
He argued that the latest proceedings amounted to an attempt to circumvent an existing judicial decision.
“We will challenge this judicial manoeuvre at the Court of Appeal,” he declared.
Despite the legal uncertainty, Atiku urged supporters to remain peaceful and focused, insisting that the ADC’s Affordable Life campaign would continue.
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He maintained that his presidential ambition was national and not restricted to Northern Nigeria.
Amaechi: The Judgement Was Not Properly Given
Amaechi, the ADC vice-presidential candidate, also expressed strong reservations about the judgement during an interview with NewsCentral TV on Friday.
The former Minister of Transportation argued that disputes concerning the leadership of political parties should ordinarily be treated as internal party affairs.
He maintained that established Supreme Court decisions had addressed the question of judicial intervention in political party leadership disputes.
Amaechi said the legal argument had been presented before the trial court but was allegedly not given adequate consideration.
“Every elementary lawyer would know that that judgment was not properly given,” he said.
He further argued:
“When a judge refuses to listen to the Supreme Court, he is overruling the Supreme Court.”
Amaechi, however, indicated that he would avoid making further comments on the matter because the party intended to challenge the decision before the appellate court.
What Exactly Did the Court Decide?
The controversy followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East, who challenged the emergence of David Mark and other members of the party’s caretaker leadership.
Justice Lifu ruled in favour of Bala, declaring the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal.
The court consequently invalidated decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the ADC presidential candidate.
It also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting of July 27, 2025, and subsequent actions arising from it.
The ruling has implications beyond Atiku’s presidential ambition, as it also affects other ADC candidates nominated under the disputed leadership.
However, the ADC maintains that the judgement conflicts with an earlier decision by another Federal High Court judge, Justice Musa Liman, in a separate case concerning the party’s leadership.
The party says it is awaiting the Certified True Copy of the latest judgement to determine its precise scope and pursue its legal options.
The Legal Battle Is Far From Over
The planned appeal introduces another important phase in the ADC leadership crisis, which has moved through several levels of the Nigerian judiciary.
However, announcing an appeal is not the same as obtaining an order suspending the judgement.
Under established Nigerian legal principles, an appeal does not automatically operate as a stay of execution. The party would need to obtain appropriate judicial relief to suspend the relevant effects of the judgement pending the appeal.
As of Friday, November 6, there was no independently verified report of an appellate court granting such a stay.
For Atiku and Amaechi, the immediate challenge is therefore not just keeping their political campaign alive but securing a favourable outcome through the judicial process.
The Court of Appeal will now become a critical battleground in determining the future of the ADC’s disputed leadership and its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Whether the appellate court upholds or overturns Justice Lifu’s decision, its eventual pronouncement could have far-reaching consequences for the party and its candidates.
Headlineswave.ng reviewed reports from Nigerian media outlets, including Premium Times, Voice of Nigeria, NewsCentral TV and The Punch, published between November 5 and 6, 2026. Atiku’s statements were attributed to his campaign communication team, while Amaechi’s comments were reported from his NewsCentral TV interview.
The distinction between the announced intention to appeal and an actual court order staying the judgement has been maintained to avoid misleading readers.
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