Aviation Minister Festus Keyamo has dismissed concerns over former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s possible exclusion from the 2027 presidential ballot, insisting that an unfavourable court decision should not be treated as a national crisis or used to discredit the judiciary.
In a post on X, Keyamo said political parties and their supporters must accept judicial decisions even when the outcomes undermine their electoral ambitions. He accused some political actors of attacking judges and attempting to intimidate the courts whenever rulings go against them.
To reinforce his position, the minister recalled two Supreme Court decisions that overturned victories secured by the All Progressives Congress in previous elections.
The first was the 2020 Bayelsa governorship case, in which the apex court nullified the election of APC candidate David Lyon shortly before his inauguration. Keyamo recalled that Lyon was inspecting the stadium prepared for his swearing-in when the judgment was delivered.
The ruling followed a challenge over the deputy governorship candidate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, whose qualification documents were found to contain discrepancies.
The court held that the disqualification of the deputy candidate affected the joint ticket, preventing Lyon from assuming office. The PDP candidate, Douye Diri, was consequently declared the duly elected governor.
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Keyamo also cited the Supreme Court’s 2019 decision in the Zamfara election dispute, which stripped APC candidates of victories across the governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly elections.
The court held that the party had failed to conduct valid primaries within the prescribed period, leaving it without qualified candidates for the contests.
He recalled that Atiku, who was then the PDP presidential candidate, had defended the judiciary after the Zamfara ruling, despite its implications for the APC.
Quoting the former vice-president, Keyamo wrote: “That judgment was against the ruling party. We took it on our chins.”
The minister then turned the argument towards the current dispute involving Atiku and the African Democratic Congress, warning against what he described as selective respect for judicial authority.
“You cannot abuse judges and blackmail the judiciary when it doesn’t go your way,” he said.
He concluded with a pointed remark: “Heavens WILL NOT FALL IF A CERTAIN ATIKU ABUBAKAR IS NOT ON THE BALLOT IN 2027.”
The exchange comes amid uncertainty over the ADC’s leadership and the legal process surrounding its presidential candidacy. A Federal High Court ruling affecting the David Mark-led party leadership has raised questions about the validity of decisions taken under that structure, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate.
The ADC has rejected the ruling and indicated its intention to challenge it. Atiku has also maintained that he will contest the 2027 election, while the dispute over the party’s leadership continues to generate political and legal reactions.
However, Keyamo’s historical comparisons do not determine the outcome of the present case. The Bayelsa and Zamfara judgments arose from different legal circumstances, and the current dispute must be resolved on its own facts, applicable laws and court proceedings.
The central issue is therefore not just about Atiku’s possible appearance on the ballot, but particularly about whether the legal process governing the ADC’s leadership and candidate selection will withstand judicial scrutiny.
Until the relevant proceedings are concluded, his eventual status in the 2027 contest cannot be treated as settled.
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