Atiku Rallies ADC Supporters, Says Appeal Court Ruling Won’t Affect Primaries

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Monday assured party members that the recent Court of Appeal judgment on the party’s leadership dispute does not affect the validity of the ADC’s primary elections for the 2027 general election. He said the ruling only dealt with issues relating to the party’s state congresses and the tenure of its state executive committees.

Atiku reacted after some political opponents claimed that the appellate court’s decision had invalidated the party’s presidential ticket and other candidates who emerged from the primaries. He described such claims as misleading and intended to create confusion among Nigerians and supporters of the opposition.

According to a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku explained that there is a clear legal difference between party congresses used to elect party officials and primary elections organised to nominate candidates for public office. He maintained that both processes are guided by different legal provisions and should not be treated as the same.

He also argued that courts can only decide matters that are presented before them and cannot make pronouncements on issues that were never brought before them. Based on this, he maintained that the appellate court’s judgment cannot be interpreted as a decision cancelling the party’s primary elections.

Atiku accused some individuals of deliberately spreading false interpretations of the judgment through social media and other platforms. He said political debates should be guided by the actual content of court decisions rather than public speculation or misleading narratives.

The former vice president disclosed that the ADC has already directed its legal team to challenge the judgment before the Supreme Court. He said the party remains committed to resolving the matter through the legal process and expressed confidence that the apex court would give a final interpretation of the issues raised in the case.

He urged party members and supporters not to become discouraged by the latest development, insisting that the opposition’s campaign for the 2027 general election remains on course. According to him, the movement to provide alternative leadership for Nigeria is bigger than any single court decision and will continue despite the legal challenge.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, in a split decision of two to one, upheld an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court which restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or participating in state congresses organised by committees appointed by the Senator David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.

The majority judgment, delivered by Justices Okon Abang and Donatus Okorowo, held that the dispute involved constitutional issues and was therefore within the jurisdiction of the court. However, the presiding justice, Abba Mohammed, disagreed with the majority, maintaining that the matter was an internal party dispute that should not have been entertained by the Federal High Court.

Following the judgment, the ADC announced its decision to approach the Supreme Court, maintaining that the ruling has no effect on candidates who emerged through the party’s primary elections. Atiku also repeated that position, insisting that preparations for the 2027 elections would continue without interruption.