2027 election must be won at ballot, not in court — Atiku

By Luminous Jannamike

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday declared that Nigeria’s 2027 general election must be decided at the ballot box, not in the courtroom, following the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to remove the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and other political parties from Nigeria’s democratic space.

The ruling removes the legal obstacles facing the ADC’s leadership, allowing the party to focus on the 2027 general election instead of fighting battles in court.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, Atiku congratulated the Justices of the Court of Appeal for what he described as their courage, fidelity to the Constitution and unwavering commitment to justice, saying the judgment had reinforced public confidence in the judiciary and strengthened constitutional democracy.

“As the nation advances towards the 2027 general elections, political contests must be decided by the votes of Nigerians—not by contrived lawsuits seeking to achieve in the courtroom what cannot be won at the ballot box,” he said.