Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged political actors to seek victory through the ballot box rather than the courtroom as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections.

Atiku made the remark on Tuesday while reacting to the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to remove the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties from Nigeria’s democratic space.

In a statement issued by his media office in Abuja, the former presidential candidate congratulated the Justices of the Court of Appeal for what he described as their courage, commitment to justice and fidelity to the Constitution, noting that the ruling had strengthened public confidence in the judiciary and Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

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He said the appellate court’s judgment had cleared the legal obstacles confronting the ADC, allowing the party to focus on preparations for the 2027 general election instead of engaging in prolonged legal battles.

“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,” Atiku said.

According to the statement, the Court of Appeal’s ruling, alongside an earlier judgment by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, affirming the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, has effectively ended all litigation challenging the party’s leadership ahead of the 2027 elections.

The statement added that the appellate court declared the June 15 judgment delivered by Justice Lifu a nullity because it was issued in disobedience to a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal.

It also ruled that the respondents lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to institute the suit, describing their claims as speculative and legally unsustainable.

The court further held that Section 225A of the Constitution should be interpreted disjunctively rather than conjunctively, noting that the suit was filed prematurely since the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still ongoing.

Atiku also noted that the appellate court criticised the trial court for disregarding unchallenged affidavit evidence presented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had complied with all constitutional and statutory requirements.

“Having accepted INEC’s evidence, the lower court had no legal basis to manufacture additional conditions in order to arrive at what the Court of Appeal rightly described as a perverse decision,” he added.

Describing the judgment as a victory beyond the fortunes of a single political party, Atiku said it represents a triumph for constitutional democracy, the rule of law and every Nigerian who believes in free political competition.

“The strength of a democracy lies not in the exclusion of political opponents but in allowing the people to freely determine their leaders through the ballot,” he stated.

He also warned against attempts to weaponise the judiciary and other state institutions for political purposes, saying such actions could undermine public confidence in democratic institutions and weaken Nigeria’s constitutional order.

“The judiciary must never be transformed into a battlefield for eliminating political competitors or shrinking the democratic space,” he warned.

Atiku concluded by expressing appreciation to the Justices of the Court of Appeal for delivering what he described as a courageous, impartial and constitutionally grounded judgment, saying the decision reaffirmed the supremacy of the rule of law over political expediency.

The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has welcomed Tuesday’s Court of Appeal judgment setting aside a Federal High Court ruling that sought the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties, describing the decision as a significant victory for democracy and the party’s participation in the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Atiku Media Office, the former presidential candidate’s camp said the appellate court’s ruling had effectively removed every legal obstacle that could have hindered the ADC’s participation in the next general elections.

According to the statement, the latest judgment, alongside an earlier Federal High Court ruling affirming the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, has resolved all pending legal disputes over the party’s status and leadership.

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“With this Court of Appeal judgment validating the legal status of ADC plus the judgment of Hon. Justice Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, affirming the election of the Senator David Mark-led executive of ADC, the leading opposition party has finally navigated its way to the ballot for the 2027 general elections as there’s no suit pending that challenges its leadership again,” the statement said.

The Atiku Media Office described the judgment as a landmark ruling that reaffirmed the role of the judiciary in protecting Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

“We warmly welcome the landmark judgment of the Court of Appeal, which set aside the erroneous judgment of the Federal High Court that sought to remove the African Democratic Congress (and other political parties) from Nigeria’s democratic space,” it stated.

It further commended the appellate court justices for what it described as their courage and commitment to justice.

“We congratulate the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal for their courage, fidelity to the Constitution and unwavering commitment to justice. Their judgment is a reassuring affirmation that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and the ultimate guardian of constitutional democracy.”

According to the statement, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Federal High Court’s judgment was a nullity because it was delivered despite a subsisting order of the appellate court. It also held that the respondents lacked the legal standing to institute the suit and that their claims were speculative and legally unsustainable.

The media office further disclosed that the appellate court clarified the interpretation of Section 225A of the Constitution, holding that the provision should be interpreted disjunctively rather than conjunctively.

It also noted that the court found the suit to have been filed prematurely since the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still ongoing at the time.

The statement added that the appellate court faulted the trial court for ignoring affidavit evidence submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had complied with constitutional and statutory requirements.

“Having accepted INEC’s evidence, the lower court had no legal basis to manufacture additional conditions in order to arrive at what the Court of Appeal rightly described as a perverse decision,” the statement said.

Describing the verdict as one that extends beyond the fortunes of the ADC, the Atiku Media Office argued that the judgment strengthens Nigeria’s democracy by safeguarding political pluralism and protecting the right of citizens to freely choose among competing political parties.

“This judgment is far more than a legal victory for the ADC. It is a victory for every Nigerian who believes that democracy must be nurtured through free political competition rather than strangled through speculative litigation,” it added.

The statement also cautioned against attempts to use the judiciary and other state institutions to weaken political opponents ahead of the 2027 elections.

“We urge anti-democratic forces to resist the dangerous temptation of using the courts and other institutions of the state as instruments of political engineering. The judiciary must never be transformed into a battlefield for eliminating political competitors or shrinking the democratic space.

“It maintained that political contests should ultimately be decided by the electorate rather than through prolonged litigation.

The Court of Appeal’s judgment comes amid ongoing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the ADC emerging as a major opposition platform following the alignment of prominent politicians, including Atiku Abubakar and former Senate President David Mark.

Preparations for the forthcoming Osun State governorship election were disrupted on Sunday after suspected armed hoodlums attacked a Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) distribution centre in Okuku, Odo-Otin Local Government Area, making away with packs of voter cards.

The attack occurred at Oyinlola DC Primary School, Ward 2, where officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were distributing PVCs to registered voters.

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Eyewitnesses said the armed men stormed the centre, fired several gunshots into the air, causing panic among residents, voters and INEC officials before fleeing with the stolen voter cards.

Confirming the incident, the Osun State Police Command, through its spokesperson, DSP Abiodun Ojelabi, said about 10 armed hoodlums invaded the distribution centre and carted away three packs of PVCs before escaping.

He disclosed that the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Gotan, has condemned the attack and ordered a comprehensive investigation to identify and prosecute those behind the incident.

The attack has triggered fresh political accusations between major parties in the state.

The Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Adewale Egbedun, through his Chief Press Secretary, Olamide Tiamiyu, accused the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating the attack.

He described the incident as a serious assault on Nigeria’s democracy and the electoral process, urging security agencies to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation and bring those responsible to justice.

However, the APC dismissed the allegation and instead accused the Speaker of sponsoring hoodlums to disrupt the PVC distribution exercise.

Speaking on behalf of the party’s campaign council, Oluremi Omowaiye alleged that Egbedun recruited thugs to the collection centres and called on security agencies to investigate and arrest those involved.

Meanwhile, the Osun Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Babalola, confirmed and condemned the attack, saying INEC was still awaiting a full report to determine the exact number of PVCs stolen.

She reassured residents that the commission remains committed to conducting a free, fair, credible, inclusive and transparent election despite the security breach.

The incident has heightened concerns over electoral security in Osun State as preparations for the election continue.