Atiku Abubakar alleges plot to exclude African Democratic Congress from 2027 general election

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged a plot by elements within the ruling establishment to prevent the African Democratic Congress ADC from participating in the 2027 general election. In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku claimed to have received "credible information" about coordinated political and legal maneuvers to keep the ADC off the ballot. He warned that such an exclusion would be a serious assault on Nigeria's democracy and part of a broader campaign to weaken the opposition. Atiku, the presidential candidate of the ADC, stated that the ruling All Progressives Congress APC is targeting the ADC because it represents a credible alternative. He urged Nigerians to resist these efforts and questioned why the APC, if confident in its popularity, would be "terrified of the ADC." Atiku also accused the ruling party of prioritizing political battles over governance, despite Nigeria's economic and security challenges. He insisted that the ADC's growing popularity should be met through democratic competition, not institutional interference, and that elections should be decided by voters. He appealed to the judiciary to resist political pressure and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, security agencies, civil society organizations, and the international community to remain vigilant against actions undermining electoral credibility. Atiku maintained that intimidation and political engineeri