Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has announced plans to challenge the Court of Appeal’s ruling on the party’s leadership crisis at the Supreme Court, insisting that the judgement does not invalidate his emergence as the ADC’s flagbearer for the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku dismissed reports suggesting that the appellate court’s decision had nullified the ADC’s presidential primaries, describing such claims as a deliberate campaign of misinformation aimed at misleading Nigerians and weakening the opposition.
The Court of Appeal, in a majority judgement delivered by Justices Okon Abang and Donatus Okorowo, upheld an earlier Federal High Court ruling that restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising changes to the ADC’s state leadership. The court held that the removal of the party’s state chairmen under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark breached the ADC Constitution, as their tenure had not expired.
Reacting to the verdict, Atiku maintained that the ruling was limited to the party’s internal leadership structure and had no legal effect on the presidential primary election conducted under the Electoral Act.
“The judgement being celebrated relates to the conduct of state congresses and the tenure of state executive committees. It does not amount to a judicial nullification of the ADC’s primary elections,” Shaibu said on Atiku’s behalf.
He stressed that party executive elections and candidate nomination primaries are separate legal processes governed by different constitutional and statutory provisions.
Atiku further revealed that his legal team had been instructed to seek a final interpretation from the Supreme Court.
“We remain respectful of the judiciary and have already instructed our legal team to approach the Supreme Court for a definitive determination of the issues arising from the judgement. That is the proper constitutional path, and we have absolute confidence in the judicial process,” the statement read.
The former vice president urged ADC members and supporters across the country to remain calm and focused, assuring them that the legal battle would not derail the party’s preparations for the 2027 general election.
He also accused political opponents of distorting the court’s decision for propaganda purposes, insisting that “Nigeria is governed by the rule of law, not by headlines, hashtags or political spin.”
Reaffirming his commitment to the party’s 2027 ambition, Atiku said the opposition’s mission to offer Nigerians an alternative government remains on course, expressing confidence that the Supreme Court would provide clarity on the issues raised by the appellate court’s judgement.
Comments