Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development Festus Keyamo said on X that Nigeria would not suffer any catastrophe if former Vice‑President Atiku Abubakar is excluded from the 2027 presidential ballot, after a Federal High Court judgment nullified his nomination as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate.
The court also invalidated the ADC executive led by former governor David Mark, ruling that the caretaker committee was illegal and restoring former national deputy chairman Nafiu Bala to the party’s leadership. The decision struck down Atiku’s nomination and the committee’s other choices.
Keyamo criticised what he called the inconsistent attitude of opposition parties toward the judiciary, arguing that political actors should respect court decisions regardless of whether they favour or hurt their interests. He cited the Supreme Court’s 2019 ruling that overturned All Progressives Congress (APC) victories in Zamfara State and the 2020 decision that annulled the election of APC candidate David Lyon as Bayelsa governor, which paved the way for PDP candidate Douye Diri.
In a statement issued by his media adviser Paul Ibe, Atiku welcomed the ruling, describing it as a victory for the rule of law and saying, “Nothing is as pleasing to the ears of believers, as justice being served in the holy month of Ramadan.”
Keyamo noted that the APC accepted the court’s decisions without attacking the judiciary and urged opposition parties not to condemn judges when rulings go against them, adding that “you cannot abuse judges and blackmail the judiciary when it doesn’t go your way.”
Justice Peter Lifu’s judgment reinforced the principle that legal decisions should be based on facts and evidence rather than sentiment, and warned that attempts by Atiku and the Mark‑led leadership to take over the ADC unlawfully could have serious consequences.
Keyamo concluded that “heavens will not fall if a certain Atiku Abubakar is not on the ballot in 2027,” underscoring his view that the nation’s stability is not contingent on the former vice‑president’s participation in the upcoming election.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
