Atiku hails Appeal Court, warns against judicial politics
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said Nigeria’s 2027 general election must be decided at the ballot box rather than in the courtroom, following the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku welcomed the appellate court’s judgment, describing it as a victory for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and free political competition.
*Atiku
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has said Nigeria’s 2027 general election must be decided at the ballot box rather than in the courtroom, following the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties.
In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja on Tuesday, Atiku welcomed the appellate court’s judgment, describing it as a victory for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and free political competition.
He commended the Court of Appeal justices for what he described as their courage, fidelity to the Constitution and commitment to justice, saying the ruling had strengthened public confidence in the judiciary.
“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,” Atiku said.
According to the statement, the Court of Appeal’s decision, together with an earlier Federal High Court judgment recognising the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, has effectively resolved all legal disputes challenging the party’s leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement said the appellate court held that the earlier judgment delivered by Justice Lifu was a nullity because it was issued despite a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal. It also ruled that the respondents lacked the legal standing to institute the suit and described their claims as speculative and legally unsustainable.
According to Atiku, the court further held that the suit was premature because the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still ongoing when it was filed.
He also said the appellate court criticised the trial court for disregarding affidavit evidence from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had complied with constitutional and statutory requirements.
“Having accepted INEC’s evidence, the lower court had no legal basis to manufacture additional conditions to arrive at what the Court of Appeal rightly described as a perverse decision,” he said.
Atiku argued that the judgment extended beyond the fortunes of the ADC, describing it as a reaffirmation of constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
“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.
He warned against using the judiciary and other state institutions to eliminate political opponents, saying such actions could erode public confidence in democratic institutions and weaken Nigeria’s constitutional order.
“The judiciary must never be transformed into a battlefield for eliminating political competitors or shrinking the democratic space,” Atiku added.
He expressed appreciation to the Court of Appeal justices, saying their judgment had reinforced the supremacy of the rule of law and strengthened confidence in the administration of justice.
