Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has condemned a Federal High Court judgment that voided his party nomination and removed the leadership of Senator David Mark. In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, the Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Abubakar described the ruling as a calculated attempt to weaken the party and frustrate his candidacy for the 2027 elections.
The former Vice-President emphasized that the timing of the judgment was significant, noting it was delivered barely a day after a large crowd gathered in Sokoto to welcome him and attend the launch of the ADC campaign. Abubakar stated that the people of Sokoto turned out in their thousands because they are "hungry for change" and believe in the party's promise to make life affordable again. He asserted that the events in Sokoto were only the beginning, with the campaign set to continue in Kebbi and across the country.
“My roots are in Northern Nigeria, but my candidacy belongs to all Nigerians. There is a difference between being from the North and being a candidate only for the North. Hunger and hardship do not respect regional boundaries. Nigerians across the country are suffering under this government, and they deserve a leader with a credible plan to make life affordable again,” Abubakar said.
Abubakar further argued that the ruling was part of a strategy to weaken his support in the North, claiming the ruling party’s greatest miscalculation was assuming his support was regionally limited. He maintained that the strength of the movement is national, citing the turnout in Sokoto and the anticipated response in other states as evidence of a broad-based campaign.
Raising legal concerns, the ADC candidate noted that Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court had previously dismissed a challenge to the David Mark-led leadership in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025. That earlier judgment upheld objections regarding jurisdiction, standing, and the failure to exhaust internal party remedies, resolving the substantive issues in favor of the defendants. Abubakar questioned why a new case was filed to reopen the same dispute, calling it a calculated attempt to circumvent a subsisting judgment. He stated that the ADC intends to challenge this judicial maneuver at the Court of Appeal.
Despite the legal setback, Abubakar charged party supporters to remain calm, law-abiding, and focused. He urged them not to let the judgment weaken the momentum generated in Sokoto, emphasizing that the "Affordable Life" campaign will continue as the campaign train moves through Kebbi and the rest of Nigeria. The former Vice-President called on supporters to take the message from "house to house and door to door" to rescue Nigeria from what he described as the hardship imposed by the APC government.
<small>Source: The Sun Nigeria — read the original story there.</small>
