Which options dey available for Atiku and ADC ahead of 2027 election

One Federal High Court for Abuja on Thursday nullify di candidacy of Atiku Abubakar, di presidential candidate of di ADC.

For di judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, di court declare di ADC Executive Committee led by Senator Mark, wey organize di primaries wey result in Atiku as di ADC Presidential candidate, as illegal.

Hon Nafiu Bala Gombe filed petition bifor di court challenging di manner in which David Marka become di acting chairman of di party.

Di court say di case of Nafiu Bala Gombe get head and e go ahead to deliver di judgement.

Di move come as di ADC and dia candidate launch dia campaign for Sokoto State, and begin move to oda states.

Both Atiku and ADC don react to dis matta but wetin dey worry pipo be say wetin go happun to Atiku in just few months to di election.

If di matta go Appeal Court like ADC tok, e dey believed say di case fit reach di Nigerian Supreme Court, wey go come make final decision bifor Nigeria general elections for January 2027

So, which kain action Atiku fit take at dis time?

Atiku go fit appeal?

Di first step wey Atiku Abubakar side fit take immediately na to appeal to di Nigerian Court of Appeal, according to Nigerian-based legal expert, El-Zubair Abubakar.

E say di appeal go seek to suspend di federal court ruling.

"If di sentence staye, Atiku and di ADC go dey able to continue dia campaign activities and present dia pain," di legal expert say.

E add say dem no get immediate option but to appeal.

Di legal pesin say sake of di law, dat option dey available if dem wan pursue di case.

Atiku go fit change party?

Nigerian-born legal scholar based in di UK, Audu Bulama Bukarti, say Atiku Abubakar get di right to change parties, but if e change party, e no go fit run as candidate for president.

"E fit change parties, becos parties fit change at any time, but e no fit run for office."

Section 77 of di Nigerian Electoral Act state say pesin must register wit political party 30 days bifor di primary election bifor e go dey eligible to contest for election.

Di country Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) don declare April 23 to May 30 bifor as di primary election period, wey mean say anyone wey wan run for office gatz join di party bifor dat time.

Dat time frame don close for Atiku, even if e change party becos e no go dey eligible to contest as President under any party wey e change to.

"Atiku get no option to defect (to contest) if e no win for court becos di amended 2026 electoral law no provide for dat," legal expert Abubakar El-Zubair say

'We go challenge dis for court' - Atiku react

Di Presidential Candidate of ADC Atiku, condemn di court judgment wey claim say e remove Senator David Mark from di leadership of di party, describing am as one calculated attempt to weaken di ADC and frustrate im candidacy.

Dis one dey inside one statement wey Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication for di ADC Presidential Campaign Council, wey e issue on Thursday.

Atiku say di judgment also raise serious legal concerns.

"Di timing of dis judgment no be coincidence. Na part of one strategy to weaken my support for di North and frustrate one campaign wey im message dey resonate across di kontri."

Atiku say im go continue im campaign say "Bola no fit use di courts to escape di judgment of Nigerians at di ballot box."

"We go resist wit all our strength evri attempt to turn Nigeria into one-party state. Nigeria belong to all di pipo."

"Our democracy must remain open to more dan one party and more dan one voice. If dose for power believe in dia record, let us meet at di polls for free, fair and credible contest."

'Heaven no go fall if Atiku no dey 2027 election' - Keyamo

Minister for Aviation, Festus Keyamo, tok say Nigeria democracy no go collapse if di presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar no dey di ballot paper for 2027 general elections.

Oga Keyamo tok dis afta di federal high court for Abuja sack di David Mark-led executives of ADC and cancel di candidacy of party flag-bearers wey emerge from di primaries.

For im statement on X on Friday, Keyamo tok say "heavens no go fall if one certain Atiku Abubakar no dey di ballot for 2027."

Keyamo wey make reference to similar court judgemt for APC, tok say di party accept di court decision wen dem cancel APC victory for di Bayelse govnorship election just one day bifor di swearing-in of David Lyon.

E tok say di party also accept di Supreme court judgement on January 2019 for Zamfara State elections, wia dem cancel all APC candidates and replace dem wit PDP candidates.

Keyamo also warn against pipo wey dey try "abuse judges and blackmail di judiciary wen tins no go your way'.

Nafi'u Bala, how ADC enta dis kasala

Di ADC party enta dia crisis for 2025, afta major political figures join di party.

Prominent politicians wey defect to di ADC include Senator David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Di party leadership crisis begin afta di resignation of di former party leaders led by Mr. Nwosu and di appointment of new leaders under David Mark on July 29, 2025.

Di situation enta anoda phase afta one Nafi'u Bala, di former deputy chairman of di party, file petition bifor di Federal High Court for Abuja, seeking di court to recognize am as di legitimate chairman of di party.

Di matter reach di Supreme Court, wey uphold David Mark presidency and order INEC make dem no listen to anyone except David Mark side.

Di Supreme Court den say di case go dey referred to Justice Peter Lifu, wey be di one wey deliver di judgment.

For July 2025, coalition of political leaders for Nigeria opposing di APC government pick di African Democratic Congress (ADC) as di party wey dem go take form coalition.

Di politicians say dem agree to di ADC wit di aim of unity to remove di APC from power for Nigeria in di 2027 elections.

Afta di ADC dey recognized as coalition party, opposition political leaders elect former Senate President David Mark as di party leader.

Howeva, tins begin dey go bad wen Nafi'u, one of di party leaders bifor di coalition say e no dey among di former party leaders wey resign.