Atiku Reveals Next Action After Appeal Court Judgment on ADC Congresses
The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has directed his legal team to approach the Supreme Court for a final determination of issues arising from a recent Court of Appeal judgment, insisting that the ruling does not affect his 2027 presidential ambition.
Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, in a statement obtained by Politics Nigeria on Monday in Abuja, Atiku urged members of the ADC and supporters to remain calm and focused, saying his presidential bid remained on course.
He dismissed claims that the Court of Appeal had invalidated the party’s primary elections for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
“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 statement read.
According to Atiku, the judgment related only to the conduct of the party’s state congresses and the tenure of its State Executive Committees, and did not nullify the ADC’s primary elections conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act.
He argued that the election of party executives and the nomination of candidates through party primaries are separate legal processes governed by different constitutional and statutory provisions.
“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,” he said.
Atiku maintained that courts determine only the issues brought before them and warned against extending the interpretation of the judgment beyond its actual scope.
He also accused his opponents of misrepresenting the ruling, insisting that the country is governed by the rule of law rather than political narratives.
The former vice president reaffirmed his confidence in the judiciary, describing the planned appeal to the Supreme Court as the appropriate constitutional step.
“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.
“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.
