Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has vowed to remain in the 2027 presidential race, insisting that a recent court ruling affecting the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will not remove him from the ballot.
Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate, made the declaration in a statement issued in Sokoto on Friday titled: _”Bola Cannot Use The Courts To Escape The People’s Verdict; We Are On The Ballot.”
The statement followed a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja that nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated actions taken under it, including Atiku’s nomination as the party’s presidential candidate. The ADC has said it will appeal the judgment.
He added: “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.”
Atiku accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of deploying political pressure, manufactured narratives and courtroom manoeuvres to weaken the opposition.
He also accused the ruling party of attempting to compromise the voters’ register with AI-generated photographs, false names and fictitious identities — claims the ruling party has previously denied.
Atiku added: ” 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.”
The former vice president, who served from 1999 to 2007, criticised the government’s economic record, citing the overnight removal of fuel subsidy, the decline of the naira, rising food prices, closure of factories and small businesses, youth emigration, and continued insecurity from bandits and kidnappers.
“Market stalls stand empty. Feeding your family has become a daily struggle. Fuel prices keep rising, and silent pain fills homes across the country,” he said.
Atiku urged his supporters not to lose heart, saying their vote remains their power.
“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,” he said.
He added that his campaign would continue and would not be silenced on the cost of living, and called for a free, fair and credible contest at the polls.
“Let me say this plainly: Bola cannot use the courts to escape the judgment of Nigerians at the ballot box,” Atiku noted.