Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has argued that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) should not be considered shut out of the 2027 general elections despite the court ruling that invalidated the leadership structure associated with Senator David Mark.
Titiansloaded reports that Keyamo, however, warned that the judgment could affect candidates who emerged through the Mark-led faction, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, whose presidential candidacy may depend on the outcome of further legal proceedings.
The minister made the remarks in a post on X on Sunday, responding to public concerns that the Federal High Court ruling could prevent the ADC from fielding candidates in the next general election.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had nullified the Mark-led leadership and set aside decisions taken by the faction, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate for 2027. The party has indicated its intention to challenge the ruling.
Addressing the controversy, Keyamo maintained that the judgment did not automatically prevent the ADC from participating in the elections. He distinguished between the party itself and the faction whose leadership and decisions were affected by the court’s ruling.
“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,” he wrote.
He described claims that the court decision had disqualified the entire party from the 2027 elections as misinformation, insisting that the legal dispute should not be interpreted as denying the ADC a place on the ballot.
Keyamo also questioned the criticism directed at the judgment, asking whether members who secured their tickets through the party’s original leadership structure should lose their opportunity to contest because of the dispute involving the Mark-led faction.
He argued that such candidates deserved the same consideration as those who emerged under the leadership structure now being challenged in 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?” he asked.
The minister’s comments come as the ADC leadership dispute continues through the courts, with the final legal outcome expected to determine the status of the affected faction and its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections
