Atiku's Campaign to Challenge Court Ruling on His Candidacy

The campaign team of Atiku Abubakar has announced plans to ask for a stay of execution on a recent court ruling that canceled his nomination as the presidential candidate for the African Democratic Congress (ADC). This ruling also nullified the party's leadership led by David Mark.

Atiku has rejected the court's decision and said he will appeal it at the Court of Appeal. He emphasized that his campaign will keep going in Kebbi State after launching in Sokoto on Wednesday.

Phrank Shaibu, the Director of Strategic Communication for the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is using legal actions to disrupt Atiku's presidential campaign.

"The timing of this judgment is no coincidence. It is part of a strategy to weaken my support in the North and frustrate a campaign whose message is resonating across the country," he said.

Atiku also disagreed with the idea that his candidacy is only for Northern Nigeria.

"My roots are in Northern Nigeria, but my candidacy belongs to all Nigerians. There is a difference between being from the North and being a candidate only for the North," he said.

He viewed the turnout at his Sokoto rally as a sign that people support his campaign promise to lower living costs.

He confirmed that the ADC's Affordable Life campaign will continue in Kebbi and other places despite the ruling.

Shaibu shared the statement on X after PREMIUM TIMES asked for the campaign's response.

Justice Peter Lifu from the Federal High Court in Abuja gave the ruling in case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025. This was filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC National Deputy Chairman (North-East).

Gombe challenged the appointment of David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party's national chairman and secretary, claiming he should have taken over from Ralph Nwosu, the former chairman.

Earlier reports from PREMIUM TIMES confirmed that the court invalidated the Mark-led leadership and any decisions made under it, including candidate nominations for the 2027 elections.

The complete orders from the court have not been independently verified for this report.

Atiku argued that the recent ruling contradicts a previous Federal High Court decision made by Justice Musa Liman on July 2 in case number FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.

This earlier case was brought by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide, who also questioned how Mark and Aregbesola came into office.

Atiku said Justice Liman dismissed that case after looking at issues like jurisdiction and the need to use internal party processes first. He said the earlier ruling supported the Mark-led leadership.

"Why, after that judgment, was another case filed to reopen the same dispute? This is a calculated attempt to go around an existing judgment. We will challenge this judicial maneuver at the Court of Appeal," he said.

The cases involved different claimants. PREMIUM TIMES has not checked both judgments to see if their orders conflict.

In another statement, the ADC Presidential Campaign Council called Justice Lifu's ruling an academic exercise that is no longer relevant.

Kola Ologbondiyan, the Director of Media and Publicity, said the legal team is working on getting interim relief, including a stay of execution where possible, before appealing.

The statement did not confirm if a notice of appeal or stay application has been filed.

According to Ologbondiyan, Justice Liman made a distinction between a stakeholders meeting on July 2, 2025, and a National Executive Council meeting on July 29, 2025, where Mark and Aregbesola were made national officers.

He stated that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the latter meeting and confirmed that the leadership transition followed the ADC constitution.

PREMIUM TIMES has not received the judgment or INEC records to confirm this.

Ologbondiyan also questioned the timing of the ruling, comparing what he called an unsuccessful APC presidential campaign launch in Kaduna with the ADC's rally in Sokoto.

He also claimed there was political interference in the proceedings but did not provide proof.

He referenced an earlier ruling by Justice Lifu that ordered the deregistration of the ADC and four other parties, a ruling the Court of Appeal later overturned.

In June, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the appellate court stayed the execution of that judgment. The order did not confirm that the appeal had been finally resolved.

This deregistration case was separate from the ADC leadership issue.

The campaign council insisted that Mark and Aregbesola are still the ADC's rightful national officers and urged supporters to keep campaigning.

The council did not mention any court order that suspends Thursday's judgment.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, earlier rejected the ruling, accusing the APC of interference and warning that the ruling could impact other candidates.