ADC to Participate in Elections, Atiku's Candidacy Uncertain, Says Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has stated that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will participate in next year's general election. However, he warned that the candidacy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and other candidates produced under the David Mark-led faction may not be recognized if the Supreme Court upholds a recent court judgment. Keyamo made these comments on his verified social media handle.

The court judgment in question, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 5, nullified the leadership structure of the ADC that produced Atiku as the party's presidential candidate. The judgment was based on a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, who argued that the process through which the Mark-led leadership came into being was in violation of the party's constitution and the Electoral Act.

Keyamo accused those suggesting that the court ruling had effectively shut the ADC out of the elections of spreading misinformation. He emphasized that the judgment affected the leadership structure that produced Atiku and other candidates, rather than the party's existence or its eligibility to participate in the elections. The minister questioned the protests trailing the ruling, arguing that candidates who were chosen through the party's original leadership structure should not be treated as less entitled to contest elections.

The ADC leadership crisis began with the resignation of the party's former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, and the subsequent emergence of a new leadership structure headed by David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary on July 29, 2025. However, Gombe challenged this transition, arguing that he was constitutionally entitled to assume leadership following Nwosu's resignation. The Mark-led faction disputed Gombe's claim, leading to a prolonged leadership dispute.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it will not take a position on the leadership dispute until it obtains and studies the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment. The outcome of the pending appeals is expected to determine which leadership structure the commission will recognize and, consequently, the validity of candidates nominated under the competing factions.

Keyamo's comments have added a fresh dimension to the debate, distinguishing the ADC's continued participation in the elections from the status of candidates produced under the disputed leadership structure. His position is that the party remains eligible to field candidates, but the fate of Atiku and others nominated under the disputed structure will depend on the final judicial determination of the leadership dispute.

The ADC and its affected leaders have sought to prevent the enforcement of the judgment pending the determination of their appeals. Aregbesola has also challenged the court's jurisdiction, arguing that Justice Lifu wrongly assumed jurisdiction to determine competing claims to the party leadership. The legal battle is ongoing, with the final outcome expected to have significant implications for the party's participation in the upcoming elections.

Key points

• The African Democratic Congress will participate in the upcoming elections, but the candidacy of Atiku Abubakar is uncertain due to a court judgment nullifying the leadership structure that produced him.