Court didn’t nullify ADC primaries — Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that, contrary to misleading narratives being aggressively circulated in some quarters, the Court of Appeal did not invalidate the African Democratic Congress (ADC) primary elections held to nominate candidates for the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the ADC presidential candidate urged party members and millions of Nigerians yearning for genuine democratic change to remain calm, resolute and focused.

Atiku described the attempts to portray the judgment as the end of the ADC’s presidential ticket as nothing more than another chapter in the ongoing campaign of misinformation designed to demoralise the opposition and confuse Nigerians.

He said the road to 2027 remained open and the resolve of the Nigerian people could not be overturned by propaganda.

“Those celebrating today should celebrate with caution. Those attempting to sell false hope to their supporters should remember that political propaganda can never substitute for judicial pronouncements.

“The judgment being celebrated relates to the conduct of state congresses and the tenure of State Executive Committees. It does not, from the facts available, amount to a judicial nullification of the ADC’s primary elections conducted under the Electoral Act.

“There is a world of legal difference between the election of party executives through internal congresses and the nomination of candidates through statutory primary elections. They are distinct legal exercises, governed by different legal principles and serving different constitutional purposes. One should not be confused with the other.

“It is a settled principle of law that courts determine only the issues submitted before them. They neither manufacture disputes nor pronounce on matters that were never placed before them. Any attempt to stretch this judgment beyond its proper scope is an invitation to legal absurdity.

“Our opponents appear more eager to write judgments on social media than to read the one delivered by the Court of Appeal. Nigeria is governed by the rule of law, not by headlines, hashtags or the fantasies of political opportunists.

“We remain respectful of the judiciary and have already instructed our legal team to approach the Supreme Court for a definitive determination of the issues arising from the judgment. That is the proper constitutional path, and we have absolute confidence in the judicial process.

“Let no supporter of the ADC lose sleep. Let no Nigerian who believes in the restoration of our country be discouraged. The struggle to rescue Nigeria has never been about one courtroom or one judgment. It is a movement born out of the collective desire of millions of Nigerians for competent leadership, economic recovery, national unity and the restoration of hope.

“We therefore urge our members across the federation to remain calm, united and focused. Stay committed to the mission. Continue mobilising. Continue organising. Continue believing. No amount of legal gymnastics or political spin can extinguish the legitimate aspirations of Nigerians for a better country.

“….Our destination remains unchanged, and by the grace of God and the will of the Nigerian people, we shall arrive.”