2027: Heaven won’t fall if Atiku isn’t on the ballot — Keyamo
Nigeria’s Aviation Minister Weighs In on Atiku Abubakar’s Electoral Exclusion
Nigeria’s Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, asserted that the nation’s political landscape would remain stable should former Vice President Atiku Abubakar be excluded from the ballot in the 2027 presidential election.
Keyamo made his comments on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to a Federal High Court ruling that nullified Abubakar’s nomination as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The court’s decision also invalidated the leadership of the party, headed by David Mark, which has sparked discussions among political leaders and opposition supporters.
In his post, Keyamo criticized what he termed the inconsistent attitudes among opposition parties towards the judiciary, asserting that political actors must respect court rulings, regardless of their personal or party interests. He referenced a Supreme Court ruling from 2019 that invalidated the election victories of All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in Zamfara State, awarding those positions to candidates from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Atiku Abubakar, who ran for president in 2019 on the PDP platform, had previously commended the Supreme Court’s decision, describing it as a triumph for the rule of law. His media adviser, Paul Ibe, issued a statement saying, “Nothing is as pleasing to the ears of believers as justice being served in the holy month of Ramadan.”
Keyamo cited another Supreme Court ruling from February 2020, which nullified the election of David Lyon as the APC gubernatorial candidate in Bayelsa State just one day before his inauguration, allowing PDP candidate Douye Diri to assume the governorship. He noted that the APC accepted the ruling without resorting to attacks on the judiciary.
“You cannot abuse judges and blackmail the judiciary when it doesn’t go your way,” Keyamo stated. He reiterated, “Heavens WILL NOT FALL IF A CERTAIN ATIKU ABUBAKAR IS NOT ON THE BALLOT IN 2027.”
The recent court ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, ruled that the Mark-led caretaker committee of the ADC was illegal and confirmed the position of Nafiu Bala, a former national deputy chairman of the party. This ruling also nullified decisions made by the caretaker committee, including Abubakar’s nomination.
In his earlier remarks, Keyamo emphasized that judicial decisions should be grounded in facts and evidence, not sentiment, and alleged that Abubakar and Mark’s leadership attempted an unlawful takeover of the party, warning of potential repercussions for such actions.
