Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that there is a fresh plot by unnamed individuals within the ruling establishment to prevent the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from participating in the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku claimed he had received “credible information” indicating that political and legal strategies were being coordinated to stop the ADC from appearing on the ballot.
The former vice president, who is the ADC’s presidential candidate, alleged that the move was part of a broader effort to weaken the opposition and deny Nigerians the opportunity to freely choose their next president.
“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.
He urged Nigerians, regardless of political affiliation, to reject what he described as attempts by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to determine which opposition parties should be allowed to contest elections.
“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 argued that recent political developments made the concerns difficult to ignore.
He claimed there was a recurring pattern in which institutions expected to remain neutral were drawn into partisan disputes, while what he described as frivolous litigation, administrative actions and political pressure were used 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 stated.
Atiku also accused the ruling party of prioritising political battles over governance despite the country’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 added.
He maintained that the ADC’s growing popularity should be challenged through democratic competition rather than institutional interference, stressing that elections should be decided by voters.
“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,” Atiku said.
The former vice president warned that any attempt to prevent the ADC from participating in the electoral process would constitute one of the gravest threats to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
He further appealed to 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 the credibility of the electoral process.
“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.
Atiku insisted that intimidation, judicial manipulation and political engineering would not diminish public 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,” he declared.
The statement comes amid growing 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 ruling APC.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the Presidency, the APC nor the Independent National Electoral Commission had responded to Atiku’s allegations.
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