The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said it will appeal the Federal High Court judgment that nullified the process through which former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
The party’s National Legal Adviser and former Edo State Governor, Oserheimen Osunbor, disclosed this on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.
He said the party was not discouraged by the ruling and would continue its campaign activities while seeking to have the judgment overturned.
“Our presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) and the presidential campaign is going on, unperturbed because we believe that this judgment will not stand and cannot stand,” Osunbor said.
He also expressed confidence that Atiku would overcome the legal challenge, insisting that the former Vice President enjoyed the support of Nigerians.
“Atiku will survive because the people are behind him. The force of the people will be greater than the force of those who want to enslave Nigerians,” he added.
Osunbor accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of being afraid of a strong opposition candidate ahead of the January 2027 presidential election.
“I have said that repeatedly, they (APC) are afraid of any strong candidate running against President Bola Tinubu in the January presidential election,” he said.
The ADC’s position followed Thursday’s judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which removed the David Mark-led leadership of the party and invalidated decisions taken under its leadership.
The ruling also affected the process that produced Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman of the party, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership took over the ADC.
The party has rejected the ruling and vowed to challenge it at the appellate court.
