The Hope Of Atiku Being On Ballot In 2027 Is Very Slim, Why David Mark-Led ADC May Never Come Out Victorious

The hope of Atiku Abubakar being on the ballot in 2027 is very slim, and if you love Atiku, you must hear this not as an insult, but as a warning. This is the opinion of Fattykolly Ibn Alimi, who argues that the house Atiku is building his hope upon - the David Mark-led ADC - has already been cracked by a court judgment.

*THE HOPE OF ATIKU BEING ON BALLOT IN 2027 IS VERY SLIM, WHY DAVID MARK-LED ADC MAY NEVER COME OUT VICTORIOUS*

*By Fattykolly Ibn Alimi*

My brothers and sisters, let us speak the truth, even if the truth is bitter. Let us speak it with love, but let us speak it with fire.

The hope of Atiku Abubakar being on the ballot in 2027 is very slim. Very slim. And if you love Atiku, you must hear this not as an insult, but as a warning. Because the house he is building his hope upon is already cracked. The foundation is already shaking. The roof is already leaking.

That house is called the David Mark-led ADC.

And I tell you today, that ADC may never come out victorious. Not because Atiku is not popular. Not because Nigerians do not love him. But because the leadership he is trusting to carry him to the ballot has failed the simplest test of law - the test of evidence.

*The Courtroom: Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025*

Let us go back to the courtroom. Let us go back to Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025. Let us go back to where Justice Peter Lifu sat on 5 November 2026 and looked at David Mark in the eyes of the law and said, in effect: "You proved a meeting. You did not prove membership."

Nafiu Bala Gombe came to court and asked three simple questions:

*First,* David Mark, in which Ward are you a registered member of ADC?

*Second,* David Mark, are you financially up-to-date? Where is your receipt?

*Third,* David Mark, who elected you? Where is the election?

My people, these are not wicked questions. These are the questions the ADC Constitution itself asks. Article 8(B) says you must register at your Ward, pay your fee, and accept the Constitution. Article 16 says your name must be in the Ward register. Article 18(ii) says only a registered and financially up-to-date member can contest. Article 18(i) says the National Convention shall elect national officers.

Mark was put on notice. The burden was on him. Only Mark could produce his Ward. Only Mark could produce his register. Only Mark could produce his receipt. Only Mark could produce his resignation from PDP. Only Mark could produce his election.

And what did Mark produce, according to the author?

He produced nothing. Nothing! Nothing! Nothing!

He did not tender a Ward membership register showing his name. He did not tender a membership card identifying his Ward. He did not tender a receipt for registration fee. He did not tender evidence of resignation from PDP. He did not tender evidence of financial up-to-date status. He did not tender evidence of nomination, contest and democratic election.

What did he tender? He tendered Exhibits ADC-6 and ADC-8 - proof that INEC was notified of a NEC meeting on 29 July 2025. He tendered proof that INEC monitored the meeting. He tendered arguments about the general powers of NEC. He tendered arguments about INEC recognition.

*Proof Of A Meeting Is Not Proof Of Membership*

My brothers, listen to me: Proof of a meeting is not proof of membership. Proof of notice is not proof of election. Proof of monitoring is not proof of qualification.

You cannot become National Chairman by holding a meeting. You cannot become National Chairman because INEC watched you hold a meeting. You cannot become National Chairman because INEC later recognised you. If you are not a member, you cannot lead members. If you are not qualified, NEC cannot qualify you. The Constitution is supreme. Article 2 says so. No NEC resolution can override the Constitution.

Justice Lifu understood this. Law is a science, not sentiment. The judge weighed the evidence like a pharmacist weighs medicine. He did not decide by power. He decided by proof.

And he found that Section 223(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution demands democratic election of party officers. Section 82(1) of the Electoral Act demands 21 days notice. Section 82(3) demands that elections be conducted democratically, allowing all members or duly elected delegates to vote. Section 82(5) says where notice is not given, the process is invalid.

Mark gave INEC 25 days notice, yes. INEC monitored, yes. But where is the election? Where are the delegates who voted? Where are the ballot papers? Where is the result sheet? Where is the proof that Mark and Aregbesola were democratically elected?

There is none. There is none. There is none.

And that is why, according to the author, the court set aside the meetings, decisions and resolutions of the Mark-led National Working Committee. And that is why the court ordered INEC to recognise Bala as the only recognised NEC member.

*Now, Let Us Come To Atiku*

Atiku is a great man. Atiku has contested. Atiku has suffered. Atiku has spent his money, his time, his life for Nigeria. We respect him. We love him. We honour him.

But tell me, my people: How can Atiku be on the ballot in 2027 through a party whose leadership has been declared illegal by a court of competent jurisdiction? How can Atiku fly the flag of a party whose National Chairman cannot prove he is even a member of the party? How can Atiku stand on a foundation that has already been demolished by Justice Lifu?

You cannot build a presidential campaign on a disputed NEC. You cannot submit a candidate's name to INEC through a National Chairman whose emergence has been set aside. You cannot go to the Supreme Court in 2027 and say "we won the election" when your party's leadership was never validly elected in 2025.

This is the danger. This is the trap. This is the wound that will kill the dream.

*The Forged Resignation Letter Allegation*

Mark also tried to destroy Bala by forging a resignation letter, the author alleges. He brought Exhibit ADC-1 and ADC-2 and said Bala had resigned. Bala denied the signature. The judge compared the signature on the resignation letter with Bala's signatures on his witness statements on oath. The judge found they are materially different. They cannot reasonably be regarded as one and the same signature.

Certification is not proof of authorship! The judge said it. A certified copy does not prove you signed it. A lie does not become truth because you stamped it.

So Bala remains. Bala remains the Deputy National Chairman who never resigned. Bala remains the only elected member of the NWC with subsisting tenure. Bala remains the man who can challenge Mark.

And Mark tried to hide behind "internal affairs." He said, "This is our party matter, court should not interfere." Justice Lifu said, "Yes, parties have autonomy, but autonomy is not anarchy. Autonomy is subject to the Constitution and the Electoral Act." A party cannot use internal affairs to disobey Section 223 and Section 82. A party cannot use internal affairs to install a man who is not a member. A party cannot use internal affairs to avoid democratic election.

*Do You See It Now?*

My people, do you see it now? Do you see why Atiku's hope is slim?

Because on appeal, Mark must do what he did not do at trial. He must produce the Ward. He must produce the register. He must produce the receipt. He must produce the election. Until he does so, Bala's allegation stands unrebutted. Until he does so, the judgment cannot be displaced.

And if Mark cannot produce them in court, how will he produce them before INEC in 2027? How will he produce them before the Tribunal? How will he produce them before Nigerians?

Atiku, my elder, my leader, listen to your son: Do not put your destiny in the hands of a leadership that cannot prove its own membership. Do not put your 2027 dream in a leaking basket. Do not allow your enemies to laugh at you in 2027 when INEC says "we cannot accept your candidate because your party has no valid leadership."

The hope is slim, not because God has abandoned Atiku, but because the men around him have abandoned the law.

David Mark-led ADC may never come out victorious, because victory does not start at the polling unit. Victory starts at the Ward register. Victory starts with a receipt. Victory starts with an election. Victory starts with evidence.

And in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, David Mark had no evidence.

He proved a meeting. He did not prove membership. He proved monitoring. He did not prove election.

He that has ears, let him hear.

*© Fattykolly Ibn Alimi*

_Disclaimer: This is an opinion article by the author, based on his interpretation of the cited court judgment. Imomediahub has not independently verified the court documents._

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