No Court Ruling Can Keep Me Off 2027 Ballot, Atiku Insists

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has insisted that no court ruling can prevent him from contesting the 2027 presidential election, following a Federal High Court judgment invalidating the process that produced him as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate.

Atiku made the declaration while reacting to Thursday's judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the party under former Senate President David Mark and decisions taken by the leadership.

The ruling also invalidated the emergence of former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party's National Secretary and the process through which Atiku emerged as its presidential flag bearer.

The case was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-East, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed leadership of the party.

Atiku described the judgment as unacceptable and maintained that it would not derail his political ambition.

He argued that the ruling was inconsistent with an earlier judgment delivered by another Federal High Court judge, Justice Musa Liman, on July 2, 2026, in a separate case concerning the party's leadership.

The former vice-president questioned why the earlier decision was not given due consideration in the latest proceedings, insisting that the matter would be challenged before the Court of Appeal.

Meanwhile, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council said its legal team was preparing to seek appropriate reliefs, including a stay of execution where legally applicable, while pursuing an appeal.

The council's Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the judgment as an attempt to disrupt the party's political activities but maintained that the ADC would participate in the 2027 general election.

He said the party would follow due legal processes and would not resort to actions capable of destabilising the country.

The judgment came barely a day after Atiku launched his campaign activities in Sokoto State, where he and other ADC leaders engaged supporters.

The court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission not to recognise decisions taken at the ADC's 99th National Executive Committee meeting of July 27, 2025.