Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged a fresh plot by unnamed elements within the ruling establishment to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from participating in the 2027 general elections, warning that any attempt to exclude the party would amount to an attack on Nigeria’s democracy.
Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate, made the allegation in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, saying he had received what he described as “credible information” pointing to coordinated political and legal manoeuvres aimed at keeping the party off the ballot.
He said the alleged move was part of a broader effort to weaken the opposition and deny Nigerians a free choice in the 2027 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,” he said.
Atiku called on Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, to resist what he described as attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to influence which opposition parties participate in the election.
“Our message to the APC and the hooded men plotting in dark chambers is simple: you may conspire, but you will not succeed. If the APC is truly confident in its popularity, why is it so terrified of the ADC?” he asked.
Although he expressed hope that the alleged plot would not materialise, Atiku said recent political developments made it difficult to ignore such concerns.
He alleged a recurring pattern in which neutral institutions were drawn into partisan disputes, while frivolous lawsuits, administrative actions and political pressure were deployed against opposition figures.
“The pattern has become all too familiar. First, institutions that ought to be neutral are drawn into partisan contests. Then frivolous litigations suddenly gain unusual momentum. Administrative powers are selectively deployed. Political pressure is mounted behind closed doors. Before long, democracy itself becomes the casualty,” he said.
Atiku also accused the ruling party of prioritising political battles over governance, despite Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
“The obsession with silencing the opposition has become so consuming that governance itself has taken a back seat. At a time when Nigerians are battling hunger, inflation, unemployment, insecurity and collapsing purchasing power, those entrusted with public office appear preoccupied with political survival rather than national survival,” the statement read.
He argued that the ADC’s rising popularity should be met through democratic competition rather than institutional interference, insisting that elections must be decided at the ballot box.
“The proper response to a popular political movement is not suppression. It is to present superior ideas before the electorate. Democracies are won at the ballot box, not in back rooms, not through manipulated court processes, and certainly not through the abuse of state institutions,” he said.
Atiku warned that any attempt to exclude the ADC from the 2027 elections would represent one of the most serious threats to Nigeria’s democratic order since the return to civilian rule in 1999.
He urged the judiciary to resist political pressure and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, civil society organisations and the international community to remain vigilant against actions capable of undermining electoral integrity.
“No administration has the constitutional authority to determine which political party Nigerians are permitted to vote for. Sovereignty belongs to the people, not to those who temporarily wield power. The ballot is sacred, and every attempt to tamper with it is an attack on the Republic itself,” he said.
He maintained that intimidation, judicial interference and political engineering would not diminish support for the ADC.
“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,” Atiku said.
The statement comes amid heightened political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Atiku and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi adopting the ADC as a platform for a coalition aimed at challenging the ruling APC.
