Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has fired back at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) following Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment nullifying the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the opposition party, describing the development as evidence that “the panic is real” within the ruling party.
Atiku alleged that the judgment was a calculated attempt to weaken the ADC, undermine his presidential ambition and frustrate a campaign he claimed was rapidly gaining national momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former vice president particularly questioned the timing of the judgment, which came barely 24 hours after a massive crowd reportedly turned out in Sokoto to welcome him and participate in the launch of the ADC presidential campaign.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Thursday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku suggested that the ruling party was unsettled by the reception his campaign received in the North-West.
He declared that the Sokoto rally was only the beginning of a nationwide political movement, insisting that the judgment would not derail his ambition or weaken the campaign.
“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,” Atiku said.
He, however, warned against the assumption that his political support was restricted to Northern Nigeria, arguing that the economic hardship confronting Nigerians had become a nationwide concern transcending ethnic and 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,” he declared.
Atiku maintained that hunger, inflation and the rising cost of living had created a common national grievance, which he said informed his campaign’s promise to make life affordable again.
He added that the massive turnout in Sokoto demonstrated the growing appeal of the ADC’s message, predicting similar receptions as the campaign moves to Kebbi and other parts of the country.
“What we saw in Sokoto, what we will see in Kebbi and across the country, is the strength of a national movement,” he said.
Beyond the political implications, the ADC presidential candidate raised serious legal objections to the judgment, accusing those behind the litigation of attempting to reopen a dispute he said had already been settled by a court of coordinate jurisdiction.
Atiku recalled that Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court had, on July 2, 2026, delivered a judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, dismissing the challenge to the David Mark-led leadership.
According to him, the earlier court decision upheld objections bordering on jurisdiction, standing and failure to exhaust internal party remedies, while resolving the substantive issues in favour of the defendants.
He questioned why another case was instituted to reopen the same leadership dispute despite the existence of the earlier judgment.
“Why, after that judgment, was another case filed to reopen the same dispute? This is a calculated attempt to circumvent a subsisting judgment,” he alleged.
Atiku disclosed that the ADC would challenge what he described as a judicial manoeuvre at the Court of Appeal, signalling another round of legal battles over the party’s leadership and the implications for its 2027 candidates.
The former vice president also urged ADC supporters not to allow the court ruling to dampen their enthusiasm, calling on them to remain calm, peaceful and committed to the party’s campaign.
He insisted that the campaign train had already moved to Kebbi State and would continue its nationwide mobilisation despite the legal controversy.
“Our journey to rescue Nigeria from the hardship imposed by the APC government is a long one. Our Affordable Life campaign will continue because Nigerians deserve relief from this crushing cost-of-living crisis,” he said.
In a defiant closing message, Atiku urged supporters to take the party’s message from house to house and door to door, insisting that the judgment would not stop their political mission.
“There is no shaking,” he declared.
The latest reaction adds another dimension to the escalating confrontation between the ADC and the ruling APC over the opposition party’s leadership, with the Federal High Court judgment raising fresh questions about the future of its presidential campaign and the participation of its candidates in the 2027 elections.
