2027 Politics Watch: From Atiku’s court setback to APC’s divided loyalty

On Wednesday, Atiku Abubakar opened his presidential campaign in Sokoto. On Thursday, a Federal High Court judge in Abuja voided the nomination that put him on the official list of candidates. Hours later, he was addressing voters in neighbouring Kebbi.

The ruling also struck at the authority of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) officials who submitted candidates for other offices. In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule ordered an investigation into disturbances during Vice-President Kashim Shettima’s campaign visit. Supporters of rival governorship candidates had traded chants at a rally for President Bola Tinubu.

Justice Peter Lifu held that the caretaker leadership headed by former Senate President David Mark was unlawfully constituted. The judgement set aside the appointments of Mr Mark and other national officers, including National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola. The judge directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to disregard decisions of the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting, reported as held on 27 July 2025, and subsequent acts under that leadership, including the nomination of candidates for the 2027 elections.

The claimant, Nafiu Bala Gombe, was the ADC’s deputy national chairman for the North-East. He argued that the party’s constitution entitled him to succeed Ralph Nwosu after Mr Nwosu resigned. In suit FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, he asked the court to restrain Messrs Mark and Aregbesola from acting as national officers and invalidate their decisions. Justice Lifu upheld his challenge, finding that their emergence breached the ADC constitution and electoral law.

The Mark-led ADC argues that Thursday’s judgement conflicts with a ruling delivered on 2 July by Justice Musa Liman of the same court. That earlier case was brought by Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives, who challenged the transfer of the party’s leadership to Messrs Mark and Aregbesola.

Justice Liman dismissed Mr Abejide’s suit, ruling that the dispute concerned internal party affairs beyond the court’s jurisdiction. He also found that Mr Abejide lacked standing and had not exhausted the ADC’s internal dispute procedures. Although he declined jurisdiction, the judge went on to consider the substantive issues, finding that the leadership handover complied with the party’s constitution and electoral law.

Justice Liman’s judgement referred to a National Executive Committee meeting on 29 July 2025, while Thursday’s ruling concerned decisions arising from a meeting reported as held on 27 July. The available reports do not establish whether the dates refer to the same meeting. The cases involved different claimants, and whether their judgements are legally inconsistent requires examination of their full orders and the issues determined in each.

Atiku’s campaign spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said Atiku would challenge Thursday’s judgement and questioned why another case had been pursued after Justice Liman ruled.

Mr Gombe’s succession case was already before the court in September 2025. In April, the Supreme Court set aside an interlocutory order in that case and directed the Federal High Court to conclude the substantive proceedings. Justice Lifu delivered that judgment on Thursday.

ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said the party was awaiting the certified judgement. Campaign council spokesperson Kola Ologbondiyan said lawyers were preparing to seek interim relief, including a stay of execution.

MicroSecondNews reported that ADC welfare secretary Nkemakolam Ukandu said a notice of appeal and stay application had been filed. Those filings had not been independently verified at the time, and no court order staying Thursday’s judgment had been established.

Mr Gombe said the ruling affirmed his claim to the chairmanship. He told candidates selected by his faction to resume campaigning and said Messrs Mark and Abubakar should register in their wards before seeking to work with him.

INEC’s presidential candidate list published on 31 October named Atiku and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, while its party directory identified Messrs Mark and Aregbesola as national officers. The candidate list predates Thursday’s judgement, and the directory’s update date has not been established. INEC had not publicly announced how it would implement the ruling when it filed.

Atiku proceeded with his campaign in Kebbi on Thursday, promising to improve security, create employment and restore fuel subsidies. Supporters gathered at the ADC secretariat in Birnin Kebbi ahead of the rally. At the event, David Mark presented the party’s governorship flag to former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, notwithstanding the judgement invalidating the Mark-led leadership’s nomination decisions.

The flag presentation illustrated the competing claims to authority within the ADC. Mr Gombe was also asserting control over the party, leaving the legal validity of its nominations in dispute.

Atiku promised to improve security, create jobs and restore fuel subsidies. His campaign had previously described a narrower proposal tied to petroleum products refined in Nigeria, including discounted crude for qualifying refineries. The Kebbi speech, as reported, supplied no further detail on how a refinery subsidy would reach motorists through lower prices.

Mr Abdullahi accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to shut the ADC out of the election and offered no evidence linking the ruling party to the judgment.

Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo, writing on his own social media account, rejected the blame directed at the APC and argued that Mr Mark’s camp had taken over without prior approval from the party’s national executive or a convention.

Peter Obi, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, said voters needed certainty about their choices with the election approaching. He said courts had the authority to resolve disputes and urged greater protection for opposition participation.

Governor Sule instructed security agencies on Thursday to investigate both the disturbance at Wednesday’s rally in Lafia and the reported obstruction of Mr Shettima’s convoy during a visit to the Emir of Lafia. He asked investigators to question anyone suspected of involvement, irrespective of their position.

At Lafia Square, Mr Sule led chants for the APC’s governorship candidate, Senator Ahmed Wadada. Supporters of the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) candidate, former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu, answered with chants of their own. PREMIUM TIMES reported that security officers fired tear gas and organisers cut the rally short.

The state government asked the State Security Service to investigate the disturbance during Mr Shettima’s visit to the Emir of Lafia, alleging possible links to former Governor Umaru Al-Makura and former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu. Mr Adamu’s campaign denied involvement, while Danjuma Joseph, an ally of Mr Al-Makura, also rejected the allegation. Neither man’s responsibility had been established.

The investigation will also examine security arrangements at the rally. Governor Sule questioned the police use of tear gas, which the state government said affected the podium, despite assurances that adequate preparations had been made.

The disagreement extended beyond the disturbance itself. Some supporters of Mr Adamu backed Mr Tinubu for president while supporting the SDP candidate for governor, illustrating the competing loyalties that surfaced during an event organised to mobilise support for the APC presidential ticket.

Mr Shettima had urged voters in Nasarawa to support APC candidates at every level. The divided loyalties at the Lafia rally showed that some supporters intended to make different choices in the presidential and governorship elections.

In Ekiti on Thursday, the vice-president carried a more ambitious electoral target from President Tinubu, asking voters to deliver at least 90 per cent of the vote in the 16 January presidential election. Mr Tinubu received about 65 per cent of the state’s valid votes in 2023.

The campaign also drew support from Wole Oluyede, who contested the June governorship election on the Peoples Democratic Party platform. APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda defended the administration’s economic record, citing student loans and tax changes as benefits for households and businesses.

Cross River Governor Bassey Otu condemned Wednesday’s attack on Mr Obi’s convoy and directed security agencies to find those responsible. State Information Commissioner Ekpenyong Cobham denied Mr Obi’s allegation of APC involvement and blamed a dispute among NDC supporters. Police have yet to identify the attackers’ party affiliation publicly.

Goddie Akpama, the NDC’s state chairman, told LEADERSHIP the party had played down the attack after the governor apologised, to avoid escalating tensions. The police spokesperson told the newspaper that the suspect arrested near Watt Market Roundabout remained in custody and investigators were still working on the case.

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room raised concerns on Thursday about reported presidential campaign billboard charges of ₦200 million in Abia and ₦150 million in Enugu, Kogi and Cross River. The group warned that such fees could restrict parties’ access to prominent advertising sites.

The Kogi figure, however, did not reflect the state’s most recent public announcement. The government initially approved ₦150 million in August, but the State Signage and Advertisement Agency announced a reduction to ₦25 million on 14 October, following complaints from political stakeholders. The agency said it would notify political parties of the revised charges.

Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike defended higher billboard charges in Abuja as a way to raise revenue for roads and schools. He denied targeting opposition parties and suggested that parties could reach voters through social media. The Situation Room called for transparent permit fees and site allocations. Those records would show what candidates are being asked to pay for comparable space and who gets access to the most visible sites.