ADC Crisis Deepens As Court Nullifies Forged Resignation Letter, Rocks Atiku’s 2027 Bid

According to a report by The Punch on Wednesday, November 11, 2026, the leadership crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has taken a dramatic turn as the Federal High Court in Abuja exposed and rejected a forged resignation letter allegedly written by former Deputy National Chairman, Nafiu Bala.

Delivering judgment on a Certified True Copy obtained mid-week, Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the document—which a rival faction led by former Senate President David Mark relied upon to oust Bala—was a fabrication.

The court’s verdict has effectively thrown the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections into disarray.

The legal battle hinged on whether Bala had voluntarily relinquished his post on May 17, 2025, a claim fiercely contested by Bala since he publicly disowned the document in April 2026.

Justice Lifu noted that certification by an authority merely proves a document is a true copy, but it does not authenticate a disputed signature.

Upon examining Exhibit ADC-1 alongside Bala’s sworn witness statements, the judge discovered blatant, material discrepancies in the signatures.

“The fact that a document is certified does not, by that fact alone, settle a genuine dispute… I therefore reject it as reliable proof that the plaintiff voluntarily resigned,” Justice Lifu declared.

Without the resignation letter, the core argument used by the Mark-led faction to justify their takeover collapsed entirely.

The ruling went further, invalidating the emergence of David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting in July 2025.

Justice Lifu held that the appointments failed to satisfy mandatory democratic election requirements under Section 82(3) of the Electoral Act 2022, reminding leadership that internal committee powers cannot bypass statutory laws.

This judicial blow has nullified the party’s nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its 2027 presidential standard-bearer, casting a dark cloud over the ADC’s political future.

While the Mark-led faction has rejected the ruling and vowed to appeal, the verdict leaves the party deeply fractured, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle ahead of the 2027 polls.

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