Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed his determination to contest the 2027 presidential election, urging his supporters to remain steadfast despite a Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark.
Atiku, who emerged as the ADC presidential candidate, declared that he remained firmly in the race and would not abandon his supporters or the political cause they shared.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, nullified the leadership of the ADC under David Mark and invalidated decisions taken by the party’s leadership, including Atiku’s emergence as its presidential candidate.
However, in a statement personally signed on Friday, Atiku dismissed the development as an attempt to frustrate the opposition, insisting that he would remain in the contest and that his name would appear on the ballot in 2027.
“I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot. No threat, blackmail or court manoeuvre will make me abandon you or the cause we share,” he declared.
The former vice-president argued that the court ruling did not reflect the wishes of Nigerians, insisting that no political manoeuvre could erase the opposition’s place in the electoral contest or deny citizens the opportunity to choose their preferred leaders.
“No manipulation, conjecture or concoction can erase our place in this contest, silence our campaign or deny Nigerians the right to choose their future. We are on the ballot, and the people must be allowed to decide,” he said.
Atiku also took a swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), questioning why a party that boasts of controlling 32 governors and attracting politicians from opposition parties through alleged pressure and inducements should be afraid of a free and fair election.
He accused those in power of deploying political pressure, manufactured narratives, courtroom manoeuvres and alleged attempts to manipulate the voters’ register through AI-generated photographs, false names and fictitious identities to weaken opposition parties.
According to him, such actions demonstrate a lack of confidence in the government’s performance and constitute attempts to undermine genuine political competition and push the country towards a one-party state.
Assessing the performance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, Atiku criticised the removal of fuel subsidy, the depreciation of the naira, rising food prices and the economic difficulties facing households and businesses across the country.
He also alleged that factories and small businesses had shut down, while many young Nigerians were leaving the country in search of better opportunities amid persistent insecurity caused by banditry and kidnapping.
Atiku urged his supporters not to lose hope or surrender their political rights, describing their votes as the most powerful instrument for changing the country’s leadership.
“Do not lose heart. Do not retreat. Your vote is your power, and together, we will take our country back,” he told his supporters.
He further vowed to resist any attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state, stressing that the country’s democracy must accommodate multiple political parties and competing voices.
The former vice-president challenged the APC to present its record before Nigerians and allow the electorate to decide its political future through a free, fair and credible election.
“If those in power believe in their numbers and their record, let us meet at the polls in a free, fair and credible contest,” he said.
