2027: ADC will be on ballot, Atiku, David Mark faction candidates may not - Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has dismissed claims that the recent court judgment on the African Democratic Congress, ADC, means the party will not be on the ballot in the 2027 general elections.

Keyamo who spoke in a statement on his handle on Sunday, described the claims as misinformation, insisting that the ADC will be on the ballot, while the faction led by former Senate President David Mark, which includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, may be excluded depending on the final judgment of the Supreme Court.

He argued that the court’s decision should not be interpreted as disqualifying the entire party, but rather as having implications for candidates who emerged from the David Mark-led faction.

Keyamo further questioned why Nigerians who successfully won their primaries under the faction he described as the original owners of the ADC should be treated as less deserving than David Mark, Atiku Abubakar and others.

He said: “For the education of the public, those raising false alarm that the court judgment on ADC means the party will not be on the ballot are spreading misinformation . The ADC will be on the ballot. It is the David Mark faction of candidates, including Atiku Abubakar that may not be on the ballot (depending on the final judgment of the Supreme Court).

“Therefore, the question we must ask those raising hell is that, are those Nigerians who successfully won their Primaries under the faction of the original owners of the ADC lesser humans or lesser Nigerians than David Mark and Atiku Abubakar?”

Keyamo’s remarks come after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.

The court also invalidated several decisions taken under the caretaker committee, including the process that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential flagbearer for the 2027 general elections.