Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has commended the judiciary for what he described as its courage, independence and fidelity to the Constitution following the dismissal of a suit challenging the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Reacting to the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Liman, which struck out the case challenging the party’s leadership, Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 poll, said the ruling was a victory not only for the ADC but also for constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former presidential candidate said the court reaffirmed the principle that political parties are governed by their constitutions and that internal disputes must first be resolved through mechanisms provided by the party.
He noted that the court held it lacked jurisdiction over the matter, describing it as an internal affair of the party, while also ruling that the plaintiffs failed to exhaust the internal dispute resolution process and lacked the necessary legal standing to institute the suit.
Atiku praised Justice Liman for refusing to allow the judiciary to become “an extension of partisan political warfare,” saying the ruling demonstrated that the courts could not be used to legitimise political interests.
