ADC will contest 2027, but Atiku may be excluded — Keyamo

Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will participate in the 2027 general elections, but former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates backed by the David Mark-led faction may be excluded.

Keyamo said the recent Federal High Court judgment nullifying the Mark-led caretaker leadership did not disqualify the entire party from the elections, describing contrary claims as misinformation.

The minister stated this in a post on his X handle on Sunday, arguing that the ruling could affect candidates produced by the Mark-led faction rather than the ADC as a political party.

“For the education of the public, those raising false alarm that the court judgment on ADC means the Party will not be on the ballot are spreading MISINFORMATION.

“The ADC WILL BE ON THE BALLOT. It is the David Mark faction of candidates, including ATIKU ABUBAKAR that MAY NOT be on the ballot (depending on the final judgment of the Supreme Court),” he wrote.

He also questioned why candidates who secured their tickets under the faction he described as the original owners of the ADC should be denied the opportunity to contest.

“Are those Nigerians who successfully won their Primaries under the faction of the original owners of the ADC lesser humans or lesser Nigerians than David Mark and Atiku Abubakar?” he asked.

The comments follow Thursday’s judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC caretaker committee led by former Senate President David Mark and invalidated decisions taken under its authority.

Justice Peter Lifu also invalidated the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.

The ruling has deepened the leadership crisis within the opposition party, with the ADC rejecting the judgment and indicating plans to challenge it on appeal.

Keyamo had earlier dismissed concerns over Atiku’s possible exclusion from the presidential race, declaring on Friday that “heavens will not fall” if the former Vice-President was absent from the 2027 ballot.

Defending the court’s decision, the minister urged politicians to respect judicial decisions rather than attack judges when rulings go against their interests.

He cited the Supreme Court’s 2019 judgment on the Zamfara State elections, which nullified the victories of APC candidates over irregularities in their party primaries and declared their PDP challengers winners.

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He also referenced the February 2020 Supreme Court judgment that nullified the election of APC governorship candidate David Lyon in Bayelsa State, paving the way for PDP’s Douye Diri to become governor.

Keyamo recalled that Atiku had supported the Zamfara judgment as a victory for the rule of law, questioning why political actors who previously defended court decisions would now criticise the judiciary over a ruling affecting their interests.

“You cannot abuse judges and blackmail the judiciary when it doesn’t go your way,” he said.

Atiku has rejected the possibility of being prevented from contesting the 2027 presidential election, insisting that Nigerians should be allowed to determine their political future through the ballot.

The outcome of the ADC’s planned legal challenge is expected to determine the party’s leadership, the validity of its primaries and the eligibility of candidates seeking to contest under its platform.