Get Guardian on GoogleThe Six Zonal Leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by its National Chairman, Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe, on Saturday, warned former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar against parading himself as the party’s p,aaaresidential candidate.
The warning followed resolutions adopted at a meeting of the party’s six zonal leaders, where they unanimously passed a vote of confidence in Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe as the authentic and subsisting leadership of the party.
In a communiqué signed by Dr Christopher O. Okechukwu, Director of Media and Public Affairs, on behalf of the Six Zonal Leadership of the ADC, the group urged Atiku to immediately stop presenting himself as the party’s presidential candidate.
Okechukwu urged Atiku to refrain from actions capable of undermining the authority of the court, the leadership of Nafiu Bala Gombe and the unity of the party.
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 zonal leaders warned that failure to comply would compel them to explore available legal options, including contempt of court proceedings and other civil and criminal processes permitted by 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.”
