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Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, takes a swipe at former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar following a court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led ADC leadership.
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Keyamo accuses Mark’s faction of hijacking the opposition party without securing the constitutionally required approval of its National Executive Committee or a mini national convention.
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Justice Peter Lifu rules that the emergence of Mark, Rauf Aregbesola and other party officers violated the ADC constitution, Electoral Act and 1999 Constitution.
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Court nullifies decisions taken by the disputed leadership, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the ADC’s 2027 flag bearer and the party’s other electoral nominations.
November 05, (THEWILL) – Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has mocked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar following a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing the faction of hijacking the opposition party and subsequently blaming the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for its predicament.
Keyamo, who described members of the Mark-led faction as an “illegal band of marauders”, maintained that the law was determined by facts and evidence rather than political sentiments, emotions or public outrage.
The minister made the remarks in a post on his social media handle on Thursday, hours after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, nullified the Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC and invalidated decisions taken under its authority.
The judgment affected the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer for the 2027 general election, the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, and the appointments of other national officers.
The court also nullified the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the 2027 elections.
Reacting in a post titled, ‘Justice May Be Slow, But It Is Always SURE!’, Keyamo accused the Mark-led faction of taking control of the ADC without complying with the constitutional procedures governing changes in the party’s leadership.
He specifically faulted what he described as the failure to obtain prior approval from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) or a mini national convention before the caretaker committee assumed control.
“You cannot invade a political party owned and built by Nigerians, hijack it with the connivance of a so-called National Chairman without a PRIOR meeting and approval of a mini National Convention or the National Executive Committee and hope to bluff your way out of such a brazen act by blaming and blackmailing the ruling Party for a misfortune deliberately stocked by you.
“Sorry, but the law is decided on facts and evidence, rather than sentiments and outrage by a group of people,” Keyamo wrote.
Taking a direct swipe at Atiku, Keyamo argued that concerns about threats to democracy should not be restricted to situations involving the former Vice-President’s presidential ambition.
“It is not only when a certain ATIKU ABUBAKAR contests the Presidency that democracy is not in danger,” he said.
He also dismissed suggestions that the court’s decision amounted to the destruction of the ADC, insisting that the party remained an established political organisation with its original members and leaders.
“The ADC as a party is well and alive and populated by people and original leaders who are NO LESS Nigerians than a David Mark and his illegal band of marauders,” he added.
How The ADC Leadership Crisis Began
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (North-East), who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
The dispute followed the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, after which Mark and other political figures emerged as leaders of an interim caretaker structure.
Gombe argued that, following Nwosu’s resignation, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership by virtue of his position as Deputy National Chairman (North-East).
He subsequently approached the court to challenge the emergence of Mark and other members of the caretaker committee, seeking to invalidate their appointments and decisions taken under their leadership.
Gombe also sought an order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
The ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants in the suit.
Upholding Gombe’s case, Justice Lifu held that the emergence of the Mark-led leadership violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
The court consequently invalidated the actions taken by the disputed leadership, including the party’s presidential primary and other electoral arrangements for the 2027 general elections.
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Atiku’s Presidential Bid Faces Fresh Uncertainty
The judgment has cast fresh uncertainty over the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly the status of Atiku’s presidential candidacy and the party’s other nominated candidates.
Atiku emerged as the ADC presidential candidate following the party’s primary election and subsequently selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
However, the nullification of the Mark-led leadership and decisions taken under its authority has placed the legal foundation of the party’s electoral arrangements in question.
The ruling also affects Aregbesola’s position as National Secretary and the status of other national officers appointed under the disputed leadership.
The crisis is the latest development in the prolonged struggle over the ADC’s leadership, following competing claims over the party’s legitimate leadership and control.
Gombe had maintained that the party’s constitutional succession provisions entitled him to assume leadership following Nwosu’s resignation, while the Mark-led faction continued to operate as the party’s leadership.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
