Factional National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nafiu Bala Gombe, has directed candidates nominated under his leadership to resume their campaigns following a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party.
Bala declared that the candidates produced by his faction remained the legitimate flag bearers of the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He gave the directive on Thursday while reacting to the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which invalidated the leadership of the Mark-led faction and all decisions taken under it.
Bala said his faction would immediately resume political activities, including campaigns involving governorship candidates and other aspirants nominated under his leadership.
“I am issuing a directive to all our candidates: wherever you are, if we nominated you, continue your campaign. You are the legitimate candidate,” he said.
He added that his faction would resume campaign activities alongside Professor Chris Uba and other candidates, expressing confidence that the party would overcome its leadership crisis.
However, Bala ruled out immediate reconciliation with the opposing faction, insisting that its members must first comply with the ADC’s membership requirements before seeking to participate in the party’s affairs.
He specifically called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and David Mark to register as members of the party in their respective wards.
“I call on Atiku Abubakar and David Mark to go to their respective wards, register officially as members of the ADC, and join us so that we can work together for the success of the ADC.”
“How can you reconcile with someone who has not joined your party? Let them go and understand the rules and procedures, then officially join our party,” he added.
Bala further urged members of the opposing faction to support candidates nominated under his leadership, arguing that the deadline for conducting primaries and nominating candidates had passed.
He suggested that reconciliation could be considered after the 2027 elections but maintained that the immediate priority was to secure victory for candidates already nominated by his faction.
“Those who want to contest have missed the opportunity. The time for primaries and nomination of candidates has passed. But they can support our candidates so that we can achieve victory,” he said.
The factional chairman also dismissed the possibility of another appeal against the judgment, describing any fresh legal challenge as an academic exercise.
He claimed that the dispute had already gone through the judicial process, including proceedings at the Supreme Court, and insisted that his faction would not suspend its activities over any further legal action by the opposing camp.
“If they want to go and waste their time and energy, that is their business. We will continue with our activities,” he said.
Bala also criticised members of the opposing faction over statements and threats allegedly made after the judgment. He accused them of prolonging the leadership crisis through repeated appeals and attempts to frustrate the judicial process.
Earlier on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated all actions taken by the committee on behalf of the party.
The affected decisions included the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Politics Nigeria reports that the court ruled that the Mark-led Caretaker Committee, which conducted the party’s primary election that produced Atiku, was illegal.
The judgment followed a suit instituted by Bala, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which Mark’s leadership assumed control of the party.
Bala had argued that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership.
He consequently asked the court to nullify decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu as defendants.
The plaintiff maintained that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the party’s constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
