Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that there is a fresh plot to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from participating in Nigeria’s 2027 general election, claiming unnamed figures within the ruling establishment are coordinating political and legal efforts to keep the opposition party off the ballot.
In a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said he had received “credible information” suggesting that the alleged moves were part of a broader strategy to weaken the opposition and deny Nigerians a free choice at the polls.
“We are fully aware of their plots. While they seek to sow confusion within the opposition, we know their real target is the ADC because it represents the most credible alternative,” Atiku said.
The former vice president challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that if it was confident of its popularity, it should allow voters to decide the outcome of the election rather than allegedly targeting opposition parties.
Atiku claimed recent political events reflected a pattern in which neutral institutions were drawn into partisan disputes, while legal actions, administrative powers and political pressure were allegedly used against opposition figures.
He also accused the government of prioritising political battles over governance at a time when Nigerians are grappling with inflation, insecurity, unemployment and a rising cost of living.
According to Atiku, elections should be decided by voters at the ballot box rather than through court actions or administrative measures. He warned that excluding the ADC from the electoral process would amount to one of the most serious threats to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
He called on the judiciary to resist political pressure and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, civil society groups and the international community to remain vigilant against actions that could undermine the credibility of the electoral process.
“The desire for change cannot be outlawed. Hope cannot be deregistered. Democracy cannot be subverted by administrative fiat. The will of the Nigerian people will prevail over every conspiracy,” he said.
The statement comes amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with Atiku and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi adopting the ADC as the platform for a coalition seeking to challenge the APC.
As of the time Punch filed its report, neither the Presidency, the APC nor the Independent National Electoral Commission had responded to Atiku’s allegations.
