Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has assured his supporters that he will be on the ballot for the 2027 general elections as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Party (ADC), adding that no threat, blackmail, or court manoeuvring will change the direction.
Atiku, in a statement posted on his official X page, said that President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking a second term in office, cannot escape the verdict of Nigerians.
“Let no one mistake the latest court ruling for the will of the Nigerian people. No manipulation, conjecture, or concoction can erase our place in this contest, silence our campaign, or deny Nigerians the right to choose their future. We are on the ballot, and the people must be allowed to decide,” he said.
2027 Elections: Tracking The Opposition›
“Let me be clear to every Nigerian who has stood with us: I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot. No threat, blackmail or court manoeuvre will make me abandon you or the cause we share.
“We will resist with all our strength every attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. Nigeria belongs to all its people. Our democracy must remain open to more than one party and more than one voice. If those in power believe in their numbers and their record, let us meet at the polls in a free, fair and credible contest.”
He said that those who boast of having 32 governors and “claim to have bought, pressured or coerced leaders” from other parties into their fold should have no reason to fear a free and fair contest.
“Yet, instead of presenting their record to Nigerians, they continue to deploy every tactic available to weaken the opposition: political pressure, manufactured narratives, courtroom manoeuvres and attempts to compromise the voters’ register with AI-generated photographs, false names and fictitious identities. These are not the actions of people confident in their record. They are calculated attempts to make genuine competition impossible and push Nigeria towards a one-party state,” he said.
“And what record do they have to defend? This government removed the fuel subsidy overnight without a plan to protect Nigerians. It presided over the steep decline of the naira and allowed food prices to rise beyond the reach of ordinary families. Factories and small businesses have shut their doors. Our young people are leaving in search of hope, while bandits and kidnappers continue to hold communities hostage.”
The former vice president said that while those in power may want Nigerians to believe that their suffering does not matter, voters should use their electoral might to take their country back.
“Look around you. Market stalls stand empty. Feeding your family has become a daily struggle. Fuel prices keep rising, and silent pain fills homes across the country. Those in power may want you to believe that your suffering does not matter.
“They may want you to surrender your future before you even reach the ballot box. Do not lose heart. Do not retreat. Your vote is your power, and together, we will take our country back,” Atiku said.
“Our campaign will continue. Our message on the cost of living will not be silenced or derailed. Stay calm, united and resolute. Together, we will fight for a Nigeria where life is affordable and every citizen’s vote counts. Let me say this plainly: Bola cannot use the courts to escape the judgment of Nigerians at the ballot box.”
Atiku’s latest comment came after the Federal High Court sacked the Senator David Mark-led executives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and invalidated all actions they took on behalf of the party, including Atiku’s emergence as the presidential candidate.
Justice Peter Lifu found merit in a suit brought before it by the aggrieved former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe.