Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the latest court ruling affecting the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that no judicial decision or political manoeuvre will stop him from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku declared that he remained in the presidential race and would appear on the ballot despite a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja that nullified the leadership of the ADC under former Senate President David Mark and invalidated decisions taken by the party’s leadership, including the process that produced him as its presidential candidate.
The former vice-president made his position known in a statement issued in Sokoto on Friday, November 6, 2026, titled, ‘Bola Cannot Use the Courts to Escape the People’s Verdict; We Are on the Ballot’.
Reacting to the judgment delivered on Thursday, November 5, Atiku argued that the ruling should not be mistaken for the will of Nigerians, insisting that voters, rather than political manoeuvres, should determine who leads the country.
“Let no one mistake the latest court ruling for the will of the Nigerian people. No manipulation, conjecture or concoction can erase our place in this contest, silence our campaign or deny Nigerians the right to choose their future,” he said.
Atiku maintained that he would not abandon his presidential ambition despite the legal challenge facing his party.
“Let me be clear to every Nigerian who has stood with us: I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot. No threat, blackmail or court manoeuvre will make me abandon you or the cause we share,” he declared.
He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of deploying political pressure, manufactured narratives and courtroom manoeuvres to weaken opposition parties and push Nigeria towards a one-party political system.
The former vice-president also alleged attempts to compromise the voters’ register through the use of artificial intelligence-generated photographs, false names and fictitious identities.
According to him, the alleged actions were intended to undermine genuine political competition and prevent opposition parties from effectively challenging the ruling party in the 2027 elections.
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Atiku questioned why the APC would be concerned about opposition parties if it was confident of its political strength and performance in government.
He challenged the ruling party to allow Nigerians to decide the country’s leadership through a free, fair and credible electoral process.
“We will resist with all our strength every attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. Nigeria belongs to all its people. Our democracy must remain open to more than one party and more than one voice.
“If those in power believe in their numbers and their record, let us meet at the polls in a free, fair and credible contest,” he said.
The former vice-president also used the opportunity to criticise the Tinubu administration’s economic policies, blaming the removal of the petrol subsidy, the depreciation of the naira and rising food prices for worsening the hardship experienced by Nigerians.
He said the removal of the fuel subsidy was implemented without adequate measures to protect citizens from its economic consequences.
Atiku further alleged that factories and small businesses had shut down because of the difficult operating environment, while many young Nigerians were leaving the country in search of better opportunities.
He also expressed concern over the country’s security situation, accusing the government of failing to adequately protect communities from banditry and kidnapping.
According to him, the rising cost of living and insecurity have made economic relief and effective governance central issues ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku urged Nigerians not to lose hope or surrender their democratic rights because of the latest court decision, insisting that their votes remained the ultimate instrument for determining the country’s political future.
“Our campaign will continue. Our message on the cost of living will not be silenced or derailed. Stay calm, united and resolute. Together, we will fight for a Nigeria where life is affordable and every citizen’s vote counts,” he said.
He concluded with a direct message to Tinubu, declaring: “Let me say this plainly: Bola cannot use the courts to escape the judgment of Nigerians at the ballot box.”
The statement followed a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC under Senator David Mark and invalidated actions taken by the party’s caretaker leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate.
The judgment followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership after the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Gombe argued that he was entitled to assume the party’s leadership following Nwosu’s resignation and that the process through which Mark and other members of the National Working Committee emerged violated the party’s constitution and guidelines.
Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s claims, declaring the Mark-led executive’s emergence unlawful and directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken by the disputed leadership.
The ruling also affected the party’s presidential nomination and other candidates presented for the 2027 general elections.
However, the ADC rejected the judgment and announced plans to challenge it through the appellate courts.
The party subsequently filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal on November 6, alongside an application seeking a stay of execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal.
The ADC also notified INEC of the legal steps taken and urged the commission not to take actions that could pre-empt the outcome of the appeal.
The party’s position is that the judgment should not be treated as the final determination of the dispute while its appeal remains pending.
Meanwhile, the APC has denied involvement in the ADC’s internal leadership crisis, urging the opposition party to resolve its internal disagreements.
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, also reacted to the controversy, saying that Nigeria’s political process would not collapse if Atiku failed to appear on the 2027 presidential ballot.
Despite the legal uncertainty surrounding the ADC’s leadership and presidential nomination, Atiku has maintained that he will continue his campaign and that Nigerians must ultimately be allowed to decide their preferred candidate through the ballot box.
