What changed
Nigeria’s Federal High Court has invalidated the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and ruled that Atiku Abubakar’s presidential nomination is invalid. The 79-year-old former vice-president is seeking the presidency for a seventh time, but he remains on the electoral commission’s final candidate list alongside running mate Rotimi Amaechi.
The ADC says it will appeal to the Court of Appeal. The presidential election is scheduled for 16 January.
Why it matters
The ruling opens a legal fight over a presidential ticket that had already been formally listed for the election. That leaves Abubakar’s candidacy caught between two parts of Nigeria’s election machinery: the court says the nomination is invalid, while the electoral commission’s current list still includes him.
The dispute also reaches beyond the presidential race. The ADC has become the strongest opposition vehicle against President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress, drawing politicians who left the faction-ridden Peoples Democratic Party. If the ruling stands, uncertainty could spread to hundreds of ADC candidates and raise questions about who has authority to act for the party.
The immediate outlook is uncertain. An appeal could restore the party leadership and nomination before voting, but the ruling creates a serious test of whether the ADC can keep its slate intact while the campaign continues. Peter Obi, another leading challenger to Tinubu, has said he was shocked by the judgment.
Abubakar says supporters should remain peaceful and focused. His campaign argues that the decision came barely a day after a large crowd welcomed him in Sokoto, where he said voters were demanding relief from the cost-of-living crisis. For now, the ballot lists him. The court ruling says it should not.
Comments
No comments yet.