The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will participate in the 2027 general elections despite the recent court judgment nullifying its David Mark-led leadership.
Keyamo, however, said candidates who emerged from the Mark-led faction, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, might not appear on the ballot, depending on the final judgment of the Supreme Court.
The minister stated this in a post on his X handle on Sunday, describing claims that the court ruling would prevent the ADC from participating in the elections as 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.
Keyamo questioned why some Nigerians were protesting the court ruling, arguing that members of the party’s original leadership who successfully won their primaries should also be allowed to contest.
He asked whether such candidates were less deserving than Mark, Atiku and other members of the faction whose leadership was nullified.
The minister’s comments followed a ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC and invalidated decisions taken by the faction, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The judgment was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu following a suit instituted by Nafiu Bala, a former deputy national chairman of the party.
The ADC and Atiku have rejected the ruling and vowed to challenge it in court.
The development has sparked fresh uncertainty over the party’s leadership and its preparations for the 2027 general elections.
