# Nigeria court voids Atiku's ADC nomination before January election

> A Federal High Court ruling that sacked the opposition ADC party's leadership and invalidated Atiku Abubakar's presidential nomination threatens to upend Nigeria's election three months away.
- Title: Nigeria court voids Atiku's ADC nomination before January…
- Summary: A Federal High Court ruling that sacked the opposition ADC party's leadership and invalidated Atiku Abubakar's presidential nomination threatens to upend…
- Keywords: atiku abubakar, african democratic congress, nigeria elections, federal high court, bola tinubu, peter obi, david mark, BBC News
- Source: BBC News — https://bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cw8rzzx46jd5o
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: atiku abubakar, african democratic congress, nigeria elections, federal high court, bola tinubu, peter obi, david mark, news, world
## Court sacks ADC leadership and voids Atiku's nomination
Nigeria's Federal High Court has removed the opposition African Democratic Congress leadership and ruled that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar's presidential nomination is invalid.
## Why the ADC leadership became contested
High-profile politicians including Abubakar joined the ADC in twenty twenty-five after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party. David Mark became interim chairman, but a former deputy chairman challenged this in court.
## The court's conflicting rulings on ADC leadership
In July, a judge ruled David Mark's appointment was lawful. Thursday's ruling by Justice Peter Lifu reversed this. Abubakar questioned why the same dispute was reopened after the earlier judgment.

> Why, after that judgment, was another case filed to reopen the same dispute?
## ADC says ruling aims to weaken opposition
The ADC called Thursday's judgment a calculated attempt to weaken the party and frustrate Abubakar's candidacy. The party said it will challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal.
## Abubakar vows to run despite the ruling
Abubakar, seventy-nine, said he will contest the election on sixteen January regardless. He wrote: I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot.

> I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot.
## Electoral commission has already certified Abubakar
The electoral commission issued its final candidate list with Abubakar on the ADC ticket alongside running mate Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State Governor.
## Peter Obi warns ruling threatens democracy
The other main opposition candidate, Peter Obi, sixty-five, said the ruling shocks him. He warned that three months before an election, the country needs certainty and should protect opposition parties.

> My concern is that three months before a general election, it is in the public interest to have certainty.
## Legal chaos could spread across ADC candidates
The legal saga may cause uncertainty for hundreds of ADC candidates and raise questions over who has authority to represent them.
## Key takeaway

Nigeria's Federal High Court invalidated opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar's ADC nomination and sacked the party leadership, but Abubakar says he will contest the January sixteen election regardless.