Atiku dismisses claims that court ruling invalidates ADC primaries
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has rejected assertions that the Court of Appeal’s judgment on the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) nullifies the party’s primary elections or its candidates for the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku urged ADC members and Nigerians who support the opposition to stay calm and focused, insisting that the court’s decision is being misrepresented by political opponents.
According to Atiku, the appeal court’s ruling concerned the conduct of state congresses and the tenure of the party’s State Executive Committees (SEC), not the statutory primaries used to nominate candidates for the forthcoming elections.
He accused certain political actors of attempting to portray the ruling as the collapse of the ADC’s presidential ticket, describing this interpretation as part of a campaign to discourage opposition supporters and sow confusion ahead of the 2027 polls.
The statement read, “Those celebrating today should celebrate with caution. Those attempting to sell false hope to their supporters should remember that political propaganda can never substitute for judicial pronouncements.”
“The judgment being celebrated relates to the conduct of state congresses and the tenure of State Executive Committees. It does not, from the facts available, amount to a judicial nullification of the ADC’s primary elections conducted under the Electoral Act,” the statement added.
Atiku argued that the election of party executives through internal congresses and the nomination of candidates through statutory primaries are separate legal processes, each governed by different rules and serving distinct constitutional purposes.
He said, “There is a world of legal difference between the election of party executives through internal congresses and the nomination of candidates through statutory primary elections. They are distinct legal exercises, governed by different legal principles and serving different constitutional purposes. One should not be confused with the other.”
The former presidential candidate maintained that the appellate court could not have ruled on the validity of the party’s primaries if that issue was not specifically placed before it.
“It is a settled principle of law that courts determine only the issues submitted before them. They neither manufacture disputes nor pronounce on matters that were never placed before them. Any attempt to stretch this judgment beyond its proper scope is an invitation to legal absurdity,” the statement noted.
Atiku also criticised attempts to replace the court’s actual pronouncement with politically motivated interpretations circulating on social media.
“Our opponents appear more eager to write judgments on social media than to read the one delivered by the Court of Appeal. Nigeria is governed by the rule of law, not by headlines, hashtags or the fantasies of political opportunists,” he said.
Despite his position that the judgment did not affect the ADC primaries, Atiku disclosed that his legal team has been instructed to approach the Supreme Court for a final determination of the issues arising from the decision.
“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 judgment. That is the proper constitutional path, and we have absolute confidence in the judicial process,” he added.
Atiku urged ADC supporters not to be discouraged by the judgment or the political narratives surrounding it, reminding them that the opposition movement is driven by demands for competent leadership, economic recovery, national unity and renewed hope.
“Let no supporter of the ADC lose sleep. Let no Nigerian who believes in the restoration of our country be discouraged. The struggle to rescue Nigeria has never been about one courtroom or one judgment. It is a movement born out of the collective desire of millions of Nigerians for competent leadership, economic recovery, national unity and the restoration of hope,” he stated.
He called on party members across the country to continue mobilising and organising ahead of the general election.
“We therefore urge our members across the federation to remain calm, united and focused. Stay committed to the mission. Continue mobilising. Continue organising. Continue believing. No amount of legal gymnastics or political spin can extinguish the legitimate aspirations of Nigerians for a better country,” Atiku said.
The former vice president concluded that the ADC’s participation in the 2027 presidential election remains on course.
“The road to 2027 remains open, and the resolve of the Nigerian people cannot be overturned by propaganda. Our destination remains unchanged, and by the grace of God and the will of the Nigerian people, we shall arrive,” he added.
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