2027: ADC To Be On Ballot, But Atiku May Be Excluded – Keyamo
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has declared that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will participate in the 2027 general elections, but warned that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates produced by the David Mark-led faction may be excluded from the ballot.
Keyamo said the fate of the faction's candidates would depend on the final determination of the party's leadership dispute by the Supreme Court.
The minister made this known in a post on his verified X handle on Sunday while reacting to concerns that a recent Federal High Court judgment against the Mark-led leadership could prevent the opposition party from fielding candidates in the forthcoming elections.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had on Thursday nullified the Mark-led National Working Committee and invalidated decisions taken by the faction, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the ADC's candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The judgment followed a suit filed by former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), Nafiu Gombe, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
Gombe argued that following the resignation of former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party's leadership.
However, reacting to the ruling, Keyamo dismissed suggestions that the judgment meant the ADC would be barred from participating in the 2027 elections, describing such claims as misinformation.
“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.
“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,” he said.
The minister further questioned why the court ruling was being portrayed as an attempt to prevent the opposition party from participating in the elections.
He maintained that candidates who emerged through the party's original leadership structure should not be deprived of their political rights because of the ongoing leadership dispute.
“Therefore, the question we must ask those raising hell is: 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.
Meanwhile, the Mark-led faction has rejected the Federal High Court judgment and vowed to challenge it.
Atiku and the party have also indicated plans to appeal the ruling, setting the stage for further legal battles over the control of the opposition party and its right to nominate candidates for the 2027 elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has maintained that it would not take a position on the dispute until it obtains and studies the certified true copy of the judgment.
The outcome of the pending appeals is expected to determine which faction has the legal authority to control the ADC and present candidates for the 2027 general elections.
![Mass Defection Hit Akoko-Edo APC As Top Leaders, Notable Supporters Dump Party After Reps Primary [SEE PHOTOS]](/storage/281/467303.jpg)
