After Court Sacks Mark, Atiku: Gombe Takes Over ADC, Issues Fresh Order To All Chairmen, Candidates

After Court Sacks Mark, Atiku: Gombe Takes Over ADC, Issues Fresh Order To All Chairmen, Candidates

The battle for the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has entered a new phase.

The factional National Chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, has issued a fresh directive to party leaders and candidates following the Federal High Court judgment that nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the party and all decisions taken under the caretaker committee.

Gombe, in an announcement dated November 8, directed all ward, local government and state chapters of the party to submit their membership registers to the national secretariat.

According to the announcement shared on his Facebook page, all ward chairmen across the country are required to submit hard copies of their ward membership registers to their respective local government party chairmen.

The local government chairmen are expected to collate the registers and transfer them to their respective state party secretariats for onward transmission to the party’s National Headquarters.

He further directed all state chairmen to ensure that the compiled membership registers from every ward and local government in their respective states reach the party’s National Secretariat on or before Thursday, November 12, 2026.

The factional chairman described the exercise as critical to the party’s revalidation, planning and effective administration, urging all party officials to treat the directive with utmost urgency and strict compliance.

Gombe Tells Candidates: Don’t Stop Campaign, Ignore Coalition Threats

Gombe also addressed ADC candidates contesting elections at various levels, urging them to sustain and intensify their campaign activities despite the recent court judgment and the ensuing leadership crisis.

All candidates of the Party at various levels are hereby urged to sustain and intensify their campaign activities. Notwithstanding that the judgment was delivered at a very late hour, no candidate should allow himself to be distracted by threats from the coalition group, the announcement stated.

He further maintained that the court had spoken clearly and urged the party’s candidates to respond through their actions on the campaign field.

Where the court has spoken with clarity, courage, and fidelity to the law, the appropriate response from our candidates is gratitude expressed through decisive action on the field, he added.

Where To Submit The Registers

The announcement also provided the venue for the submission of the membership registers as the party’s National Secretariat at No. 4, Miriam Ikejiani Clarke Crescent, Guzape District, Abuja.

Gombe warned that no extension of the November 12 deadline would be entertained, while thanking party members for their cooperation and commitment to the growth of the ADC.

Why Gombe Is Acting Now: The Court Judgment That Changed Everything

The development comes amid the leadership crisis rocking the opposition party following a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja.

The court nullified the emergence of the David Mark-led caretaker committee, ruling that the process violated provisions of the ADC constitution, the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.

The judgment also invalidated decisions taken by the caretaker committee, including the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s reported presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The court equally nullified the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s National Secretary and affected other appointments and nominations made under the disputed leadership.

The suit was instituted by Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-East, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.

What INEC Said

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it will not take an immediate position on the judgment until it obtains and examines the Certified True Copy of the ruling.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission would deliberate on the matter at its next meeting.

He also indicated that the commission would comply with any subsequent court order, including an injunction staying the execution of the judgment if obtained by the affected faction.

What This Means For ADC Ahead Of 2027

With the November 12 deadline, Gombe is moving fast to assert control, rebuild the party register, and show INEC and Nigerians that he is now in charge.

But the Mark-Aregbesola-Atiku camp has already gone to the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn the judgment and stop its enforcement.

The next few days will determine who truly controls ADC: Gombe or Mark.

Will ADC candidates obey Gombe’s directive or wait for the Appeal Court? Drop your opinion in the comments.