*’The Timing Of This Judgment Is No Coincidence. It Is Part Of A Strategy To Weaken My Support In The North And Frustrate A Campaign Whose Message Is Resonating Across The Country’
*Nigerians Across The Country Are Suffering Under This Government, And They Deserve A Leader With A Credible Plan To Make Life Affordable Again, He Says
A swift response has come from presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, to today’s Federal High Court Abuja verdict nullifying the processes leading to his emergence as the party’s flagbearer.
Justice Peter Lifu of the court also voided David Mark-led leadership of the party, citing unlawful processes.
However, Abubakar, more popularly known as Atiku, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating moves to destabilise ADC.
He described the judgment as a calculated attempt to weaken the opposition party, undermine his political support in Northern Nigeria and frustrate his presidential ambition.
The court ruling against Atiku and ADC leadership followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), in which he challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, listed the ADC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, former Osun State Governor Ogbeni (Engr.) Rauf Aregbesola and former party chairman Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
Atiku, in a statement issued by Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, said the timing of the ruling was suspicious.
The judgment came barely a day after thousands of supporters welcomed Atiku in Sokoto State during the launch of his presidential campaign.
Atiku said the massive turnout demonstrated that his political movement was gaining momentum beyond regional and ethnic boundaries.
“The people of Sokoto came out in their thousands because they are hungry for change and believe in our promise to make life affordable again. What we witnessed in Sokoto is only the beginning. The people of Kebbi will have their say, and so will Nigerians across the country as our campaign moves forward,” he stated.
Atiku insisted that although he hailed from Northern Nigeria, his presidential ambition was national, arguing that the economic hardship confronting Nigerians was not limited to any particular region.
“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,” he added.
The former Vice-President further alleged that the judgment was part of a political strategy to weaken his support base and frustrate the ADC’s growing influence ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The timing of this judgment is no coincidence. It is part of a strategy to weaken my support in the North and frustrate a campaign whose message is resonating across the country.
“But the ruling party’s greatest miscalculation is to assume that my support ends in the North. What we saw in Sokoto, what we will see in Kebbi and across the country, is the strength of a national movement,” Atiku said.
He also questioned the legal basis of the judgment, arguing that another Federal High Court had previously dismissed a separate challenge to the Mark-led ADC leadership.
*PHOTO CAPTION: Atiku.
