Former Vice President warns against using the judiciary to sideline political opponents ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared that Nigeria’s 2027 general election must be decided by the votes of Nigerians rather than through litigation, following the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
The appellate court’s ruling effectively clears the legal hurdles confronting the ADC, enabling the party to focus on preparations for the 2027 elections without the distraction of protracted court battles.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media office in Abuja, Atiku commended the justices of the Court of Appeal for what he described as their courage, commitment to constitutional principles and dedication to justice. He said the judgment had reinforced public confidence in the judiciary while strengthening Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“As the nation advances towards the 2027 general elections, political contests must be decided by the votes of Nigerians—not by contrived lawsuits seeking to achieve in the courtroom what cannot be won at the ballot box,” he stated.
Atiku said the appellate court’s decision, coupled with an earlier judgment by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirming the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, has effectively resolved all legal disputes surrounding the party’s leadership ahead of the next general election.
According to him, the development firmly establishes the ADC’s legal status and eligibility to participate in the 2027 polls.
The statement noted that the Court of Appeal declared the June 15 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu a nullity because it was issued despite a subsisting order directing a stay of proceedings. It added that the appellate court found that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the suit and that their claims were speculative and unsustainable in law.
Atiku further stated that the court clarified that Section 225A of the Constitution should be interpreted disjunctively rather than conjunctively and held that the suit was premature since electoral processes in Osun and Ekiti states were still ongoing when the action was filed.
He noted that the appellate court faulted the trial court for disregarding unchallenged affidavit evidence presented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which showed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had complied with constitutional and statutory requirements.
“Having accepted INEC’s evidence, the lower court had no legal basis to manufacture additional conditions in order to arrive at what the Court of Appeal rightly described as a perverse decision,” Atiku said.
He argued that the significance of the judgment extends beyond the fortunes of any political party, describing it as a victory for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and the principle of free political competition.
“The strength of a democracy lies not in the exclusion of political opponents but in allowing the people to freely determine their leaders through the ballot,” he said.
Atiku also warned against the use of the judiciary and other state institutions as tools for political manipulation, saying such actions could undermine public trust in democratic institutions and weaken Nigeria’s constitutional order.
“The judiciary must never be transformed into a battlefield for eliminating political competitors or shrinking the democratic space,” he cautioned.
He, however, praised the Court of Appeal for what he described as a courageous, impartial and constitutionally grounded judgment, saying the decision had strengthened confidence in the administration of justice and reaffirmed the supremacy of the rule of law over political expediency.