The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the African Democratic Congress will participate in the 2027 general elections, but warned that candidates backed by the David Mark-led faction, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, may not make the ballot.
Keyamo explained that the eligibility of the affected candidates would depend on the Supreme Court’s final decision on the leadership crisis rocking the opposition party.
The minister stated this on Sunday in a post on his verified X handle while reacting to concerns that a recent Federal High Court judgment could prevent the ADC from participating in the forthcoming elections.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the party and invalidated decisions taken by the faction, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as its candidate for the 2027 election.
The judgment followed a suit filed by a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC (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 he was constitutionally entitled to take over the party’s leadership following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Reacting to the development, Keyamo dismissed suggestions that the ruling amounted to a ban on the ADC, insisting that the party remained eligible to participate in the elections.
He said, “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.”
The minister also questioned the criticisms trailing the judgment, arguing that candidates who emerged through the party’s original leadership structure should not be denied recognition.
He asked, “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?”
Meanwhile, the Mark-led faction has rejected the court’s decision and indicated its intention to challenge the ruling.
Atiku and the party have also announced plans to appeal the judgment.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has maintained that it would not take a position on the leadership dispute until it obtains and studies the certified true copy of the court’s judgment.
The outcome of the pending legal proceedings is expected to determine which faction has the authority to nominate candidates for the 2027 general elections.
