By Emma Ombugadu, Abuja
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of using Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment on the leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, to frustrate his presidential ambition and contain the opposition party’s growing political influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku said the ruling came barely 24 hours after thousands of supporters welcomed him to Sokoto for the launch of the ADC campaign, alleging that the development was part of a strategy to weaken his Northern support base and halt the spread of his campaign beyond the region.
In a statement on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former Vice President insisted that the judgment would neither derail the party’s campaign nor diminish its appeal across the country.
He said the Sokoto reception reflected Nigerians’ growing frustration with economic hardship and their desire for a change of government.
“The people of Sokoto came out in their thousands because they are hungry for change and believe in our promise to make life affordable again. What we witnessed in Sokoto is only the beginning. The people of Kebbi will have their say, and so will Nigerians across the country as our campaign moves forward,” he said.
Rejecting attempts to frame his candidacy as a Northern project, Atiku said the economic crisis confronting Nigerians had made his political message relevant across regional boundaries.
“My roots are in Northern Nigeria, but my candidacy belongs to all Nigerians. There is a difference between being from the North and being a candidate only for the North. Hunger and hardship do not respect regional boundaries. Nigerians across the country are suffering under this government, and they deserve a leader with a credible plan to make life affordable again,” he said.
Atiku alleged that the judgment was intended to disrupt the momentum of his campaign and weaken the opposition’s growing political reach.
“The timing of this judgment is no coincidence. It is part of a strategy to weaken my support in the North and frustrate a campaign whose message is resonating across the country. But the ruling party’s greatest miscalculation is to assume that my support ends in the North. What we saw in Sokoto, what we will see in Kebbi and across the country, is the strength of a national movement,” he said.
On the legal implications, Atiku questioned why the leadership dispute was reopened despite an earlier judgment by Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
He said the court had dismissed the challenge to the David Mark-led leadership after upholding objections bordering on jurisdiction, standing and failure to exhaust internal party remedies, adding that the substantive issues were also resolved in favour of the defendants.
“Why, after that judgment, was another case filed to reopen the same dispute? This is a calculated attempt to circumvent a subsisting judgment. We will challenge this judicial manoeuvre at the Court of Appeal,” he said.
The former Vice President urged ADC supporters to remain peaceful and law-abiding, insisting that the court ruling would not interrupt the party’s mobilisation.
“Our journey to rescue Nigeria from the hardship imposed by the APC government is a long one. Our Affordable Life campaign will continue because Nigerians deserve relief from this crushing cost-of-living crisis,” he said.
With the campaign train already in Kebbi, Atiku urged supporters to take the party’s message from house to house and door to door, declaring, “There is no shaking.”
KEYAMO HAILS JUDGMENT: “JUSTICE MAY BE SLOW, BUT IT IS ALWAYS SURE!”
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, has welcomed Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment that sacked the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, declaring that “justice may be slow, but it is always sure!”
In the judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee as illegal and invalidated all actions taken on its behalf. These included the nomination of a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the outcome, Keyamo said the manner in which the party was taken over could not stand. “You cannot invade a political party owned and built by Nigerians and hijack it with the connivance of a so-called National Chairman without a prior meeting and approval of a mini National Convention or the National Executive Committee,” he said.
The minister added that those behind the takeover could not “bluff your way out of such a brazen act by blaming and blackmailing the ruling Party for a misfortune deliberately stocked by you.”
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed by the party’s former National Deputy Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Bala Gombe. He asked the court to nullify all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership, arguing that following the resignation of the former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was qualified to take over the leadership of the party.
The defendants were the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Senator Mark, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Chief Nwosu. Gombe also asked the court to stop Senator Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, insisting that their emergence violated the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Justice Lifu upheld the plaintiff’s claims and granted his reliefs.
Keyamo insisted that the court acted on the law and not on public feeling. “Sorry, but the law is decided on facts and evidence, rather than sentiments and outrage by a group of people,” he said.
The ruling came barely 24 hours after Atiku held a rally in Sokoto State as part of his campaign for the January 16, 2027 presidential election. INEC had earlier published his name as a presidential candidate, and he has since picked a former Governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
The ADC has said it will challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal. The party’s National Welfare Secretary, Mr Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the suit as an interested party, announced the decision to appeal.
Keyamo, however, dismissed the notion that the judgment endangers democracy.
“It is not only when a certain Atiku Abubakar contests the presidency that democracy is not in danger. The ADC as a party is well and alive and populated by people and original leaders who are no less Nigerians than David Mark and his illegal band of marauders,” he added.
