The Six Zonal Leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, has issued a fresh warning to former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, demanding that he stop presenting himself as the party’s presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The group accused Atiku of continuing to claim the party’s presidential ticket despite a Federal High Court judgment which invalidated the leadership structure that supervised his emergence as the ADC flag bearer.
Politics Nigeria reports that the warning followed a meeting of the party’s six zonal leaders on Saturday, where they reaffirmed their support for Bala Gombe and passed a vote of confidence in his leadership.
The leaders maintained that Bala Gombe remained the authentic and subsisting leadership of the party following the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court on November 5, 2026.
In a communiqué signed by Dr Christopher O. Okechukwu, Director of Media and Public Affairs, on behalf of the six zonal leaders, the group called on Atiku to immediately withdraw from activities suggesting that he was the recognised presidential candidate of the party.
They also warned the former Vice-President against taking steps that could undermine the court’s authority, the leadership of Bala Gombe and the unity of the ADC.
The group specifically argued that the November 5 judgment had invalidated the leadership of former Senate President David Mark and former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, whose leadership structure oversaw the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate.
According to the communiqué, the judgment remained in force because it had not been overturned, suspended or set aside by a superior court.
The zonal leaders insisted that decisions taken under the affected leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s flag bearer, could not be treated as legally valid while the judgment remained subsisting.
Explaining their position, Okechukwu said:
“The Zonal Leadership unanimously passed a vote of confidence on Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe as the authentic and subsisting leadership of the Party, and further resolved to issue this formal warning to you to desist forthwith from parading yourself as the presidential candidate of the ADC.
“You are hereby reminded that a Court of competent jurisdiction, presided over by Hon. Justice Peter Lifu, delivered judgment on 5th November 2026, invalidating the leadership of Sen. David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola.
“That judgment is subsisting. It has not been set aside, stayed, vacated, or reversed by any superior court. Until and unless it is so set aside, it remains binding on you, on all members of the Party, and on all persons claiming through or under the invalidated leadership, pursuant to the doctrine of obedience to court orders and the rule of law.
“It is a matter of incontrovertible legal consequence that the David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola-led leadership, which purportedly produced you as presidential candidate, has been declared invalid by a court of law.
“In law, you cannot build something on nothing and expect it to stand. A candidacy that flows from an invalidated leadership is itself without legal foundation. There is no valid platform upon which your purported presidential candidacy can rest.
“Your continued campaign, public presentations, and parading of yourself as the ADC presidential candidate amount to an outright violation of the subsisting court order and declaration contained in the judgment of Hon. Justice Lifu delivered on 5th November 2026.
“No person, however highly placed, is above the law. The continued defiance of a valid judgment of court is an affront to the authority of the judiciary and a direct challenge to constitutional order.
“You are therefore warned, in the clearest terms, to: Desist immediately from parading yourself as the presidential candidate of the ADC; Cease forthwith all campaign activities, rallies, publications, and representations made in that capacity; and Refrain from any act capable of undermining the authority of the Court, the leadership of Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, and the unity of the Party.”
The group further demanded that Atiku suspend all campaign-related activities carried out in the name of the ADC presidential ticket.
It said the former Vice-President should stop attending political gatherings, organising rallies, making public representations and publishing materials that identify him as the party’s presidential candidate.
The zonal leaders maintained that the matter went beyond internal disagreements within the opposition party, arguing that all political actors were expected to respect decisions issued by courts of competent jurisdiction.
They also warned that Atiku’s continued activities could deepen the existing divisions within the party and create further uncertainty over its leadership and preparations for the 2027 elections.
The group threatened to pursue legal action if the former Vice-President failed to comply with its demands.
Okechukwu said the party would consider all available legal options, including contempt proceedings and other civil and criminal processes permitted under the law.
He added:
“Take notice that failure to comply with this warning will leave the Party with no option but to invoke all available legal remedies, including but not limited to, proceedings for contempt of court, and such other civil and criminal processes as the law permits, to protect the integrity of the judgment and the Party.
“The law must be obeyed. The judgment must be respected. The Party will not stand by while its name, platform, and processes are used in defiance of a court of law.”
