The Federal High Court in Abuja’s decision to sack the Senator David Mark-led executive committee of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and nullify all actions taken by it has drawn criticism from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate Peter Obi; the Social Democratic Party, SDP, and the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP.
While Atiku accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of using the judgment to frustrate his presidential ambition and weaken his support base in the North, Obi urged Nigerians and the judiciary to protect democratic principles and allow opposition parties to thrive.
The court, in a judgment delivered on Thursday by Justice Peter Lifu, declared the Mark-led ADC caretaker committee illegal and invalidated all actions taken by it, including the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its candidate for the 2027 general election.
The judgment followed a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the ADC (North-East), who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the party.
Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled to assume the leadership of the party.
The court upheld his claims and granted the reliefs sought.
The ruling has raised questions about the status of Atiku’s candidacy, coming barely 24 hours after he held a campaign rally in Sokoto State.
Reacting to the judgment, Atiku accused the APC of using the court ruling to frustrate his presidential ambition and contain the ADC’s growing political influence ahead of the 2027 elections.
Atiku said the ruling came barely 24 hours after thousands of supporters welcomed him to Sokoto for the launch of the ADC campaign, alleging that the development was part of a strategy to weaken his Northern support base and halt the spread of his campaign beyond the region.
In a statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former Vice-President insisted that the judgment would neither derail the party’s campaign nor diminish its appeal across the country.
He said the reception in Sokoto reflected Nigerians’ growing frustration with economic hardship and their desire for a change of government.
“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 said.
Rejecting attempts to portray his candidacy as a Northern project, Atiku said the economic crisis confronting Nigerians had made his political message relevant across regional boundaries.
“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 said. (Vanguard)
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