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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) will take part in the 2027 general elections despite the court ruling nullifying its David Mark-led leadership, but former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s chances of appearing on the ballot remain uncertain, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said.
Keyamo said the court judgment did not stop the ADC from participating in the elections. However, he warned that candidates nominated by the Mark-led faction, including Atiku, might not be recognised, depending on the final decision of the Supreme Court.
The minister made this clarification in a post on X on Sunday, dismissing claims that the ruling had effectively excluded the party from the 2027 elections.
“For the education of the public, those raising false alarm that the court judgment on ADC means the Party will not be on the ballot are spreading misinformation,” he wrote.
“The ADC will be on the ballot. It is the David Mark faction of candidates, including Atiku Abubakar, that may not be on the ballot, depending on the final judgment of the Supreme Court.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday nullified the Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated decisions taken by the faction. These included the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
Reacting to the criticism of the judgment, Keyamo questioned why candidates who emerged from the party’s original leadership structure should be denied the opportunity to contest.
“Therefore, the question we must ask those raising hell is that, are those Nigerians who successfully won their primaries under the faction of the original owners of the ADC lesser humans or lesser Nigerians than David Mark and Atiku Abubakar?” he asked.
The ruling has thrown the party’s leadership and choice of candidates into uncertainty ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku and the ADC have rejected the judgment and announced plans to challenge it at the Court of Appeal.
