Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said Nigeria’s 2027 general election must be decided by voters at the ballot box, not through the courts, following the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn a Federal High Court judgment that sought to remove the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties from the political landscape.
The ruling, delivered on Tuesday, July 28, clears the legal challenges surrounding the ADC’s leadership, allowing the party to focus fully on preparations for the 2027 general elections without pending court disputes.
In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku praised the Court of Appeal justices for what he described as their courage, fidelity to the Constitution, and commitment to justice. He said the judgment strengthens public confidence in the judiciary and reinforces Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.
“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,” the statement read.
According to Atiku, the appellate court’s ruling, alongside 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, brings all legal disputes over the party’s leadership to an end and confirms its eligibility to participate in future elections.
The Court of Appeal held that the June 15 judgment delivered by Justice Lifu was a nullity because it was issued in violation of an existing order of the appellate court. It also ruled that the respondents lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to file the suit, describing their claims as speculative and legally untenable.
The court further clarified that Section 225A of the Constitution should be interpreted disjunctively rather than conjunctively. It found that the suit was filed prematurely since the electoral cycles in Osun and Ekiti states were still ongoing at the time.
Atiku also noted that the appellate court criticised the trial court for disregarding unchallenged affidavit evidence from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had met all 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,” the statement added.
Describing the ruling as a victory beyond party politics, Atiku said it was a triumph for the rule of law, constitutional democracy and all Nigerians who believe in free and fair 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.
