Breaking: Atiku Makes Strong Vow on 2027 Election Presidential Race After ADC Court Ruling

• Atiku Abubakar released a statement on Friday, November 6, saying he would not withdraw from the 2027 presidential race following a court ruling affecting the ADC
• The former vice president accused the ruling government of using courts and political pressure to weaken opposition parties ahead of the elections
• Atiku raised concerns about alleged AI-generated voter register entries and warned Nigeria risked becoming a one-party state

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.

FCT, Abuja - Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has declared he will not step back from the 2027 presidential contest, responding to a recent court ruling affecting the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with a defiant statement on Friday, November 6.

Legit.ng reports that in the statement, titled 'Bola Cannot Use the Courts to Escape the People's Verdict; We Are on the Ballot', Atiku argued that judicial decisions should not be confused with the wishes of ordinary Nigerians, and that no legal proceedings would push him out of the race.

Atiku accuses government of targeting opposition

The former vice president accused the Tinubu administration of deploying a combination of political pressure and courtroom tactics to weaken opposition parties and narrow the space for democratic competition. He went further, alleging that efforts were underway to compromise the voters' register using AI-generated photographs, false names and fictitious identities.

Atiku warned that such moves, if left unchecked, could steer Nigeria towards a one-party political system where genuine electoral competition becomes impossible.

He also mounted a broad critique of the administration's economic record, faulting the approach taken to fuel subsidy removal and what he described as a failure to protect ordinary citizens from the consequences of the policy. He pointed to the naira's sharp decline, rising food prices, the closure of factories and small businesses, and the growing number of young Nigerians leaving the country as evidence of mismanagement. Persistent insecurity, including the activities of bandits and kidnappers, also featured among his concerns.

"I'm not going anywhere" - Atiku

Addressing his supporters directly, Atiku was unequivocal about his intentions.

"Let me be clear to every Nigerian who has stood with us: I am in this race. I am not going anywhere. We will be on the ballot," he said.

He added that neither threats, blackmail nor court manoeuvres would cause him to walk away from the people who had backed his campaign or the cause they shared.

The ADC presidential flagbearer urged Nigerians to remain united and not surrender their democratic rights, and challenged the ruling party to face the opposition in a free, fair and credible election if it was genuinely confident in its record and political standing.

"We will resist with all our strength every attempt to turn Nigeria into a one-party state. Nigeria belongs to all its people," he added.

Closing the statement, Atiku maintained that President Tinubu could not rely on the courts to avoid the judgment Nigerians would deliver at the ballot box, and said his campaign would press on with its focus on the cost of living and the need for an affordable standard of living for all citizens.

Read Atiku's full message below via the X post:

Read more on ADC

• 2027 election: ADC responds to rumours INEC refused to recognise David Mark's new leadership
• 2027 election: Did Senator Abdulaziz Yar'Adua dump APC for ADC? Lawmaker speaks out
• 2027 election: ADC speaks as Rabiu Kwankwaso reportedly considers joining party

ChatGPT predicts winner of 2027 election

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that ChatGPT predicted that the All Progressives Congress (APC) would likely win Nigeria's 2027 presidential election, using the Four Horsemen framework.

It cited the opposition coalition but said the APC had the edge due to possible low voter turnout and the Tinubu administration's efforts to stabilise the economy.