Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar endorsed the decision as a triumph for constitutional democracy against political manipulation through the judiciary. Justice Musa Liman delivered the judgment, rejecting a suit brought by Representative Leke Abejide that challenged Mark’s and Rauf Aregbesola’s leadership roles. The court deemed the matter as non-justiciable, emphasizing its internal party nature and stating that Abejide lacked standing. Importantly, it was ruled that the leadership transition in the ADC, facilitated by former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu, followed ADC’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, legitimizing Mark and Aregbesola’s appointments as chairman and secretary respectively.

Cost awards of N2 million were granted to the defendants against Abejide, as well as an additional N10 million in legal fees to be paid by his counsel. The case, labeled FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, sought to nullify the ADC leadership change and sought to restrain Mark and Aregbesola from their current titles, but the court deemed the suit an attempt to interfere with the party’s internal governance.

Atiku commended the court for upholding vital legal principles and asserted the importance of preserving the rule of law amid pressures on opposition parties, describing the judgment as a means to protect legitimate opposition politics and a resilient judiciary.

Mark characterized the ruling as a landmark victory for democracy, vowing to continue upholding the rule of law and democratic governance while calling for unity among party members as the ADC prepares for the upcoming 2027 general elections. The ADC’s National Publicity Secretary underscored that the judgment reinforces the party’s position that leadership disputes remain within the party’s internal framework, echoing concerns around judicial manipulation aimed at undermining democratic processes. This ruling is positioned as a significant step toward stabilizing the political landscape in Nigeria.