Atiku’s ADC Setback: Stop blaming Tinubu, Presidency for court judgment–NNPP

 

 

Maureen Aguta

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dismissed allegations linking President Bola Tinubu and the Presidency to the recent court judgment invalidating the leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the emergence of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.

The party described attempts to blame the Presidency for the judgment as unwarranted and inappropriate, insisting that political sentiments and social media commentaries cannot substitute for evidence of executive interference in judicial proceedings.

The NNPP also defended the right of aggrieved party members who instituted the legal action, arguing that they are Nigerians entitled to seek judicial redress and participate in the country’s electoral process like every other citizen.

The party’s position was contained in a statement issued on Monday by its Board of Trustees Chairman and founder, Dr Boniface Aniebonam.

Aniebonam urged Nigerians, particularly opposition politicians and their supporters, to examine the substance and legal reasoning of the judgment rather than interpret it solely through the prism of its political consequences.

He cautioned against the growing tendency to portray unfavourable judicial decisions as evidence of political manipulation, saying such allegations could undermine public confidence in the judiciary without any supporting facts.

The controversy followed the November 5 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC led by former Senate President, David Mark, and invalidated decisions taken by the party under the caretaker leadership.

In the judgment, Justice Peter Lifu declared the Mark-led Caretaker Committee illegal and nullified the process through which it conducted the party’s presidential primary that produced Atiku as its flag bearer for the 2027 elections.

The court also invalidated the emergence of former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as National Secretary, alongside the appointments of other national officers and the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the forthcoming elections.

The judgment arose from a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman (North-East), who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.

Reacting to the public debate generated by the ruling, Aniebonam said it was inappropriate to conclude that the Presidency engineered the judgment simply because its outcome had implications for the political fortunes of a prominent opposition figure.

“I have followed with considerable interest the growing commentaries on the recent judgment of the Federal High Court. There is an unfortunate tendency in our public discourse to judge judicial decisions principally by their political consequences.

“When a judgment favours one political interest, the judge is praised for courage. When it produces an unfavourable outcome, the same judge may suddenly be portrayed as an instrument of an unseen political agenda. That is not a sound basis for evaluating the administration of justice,” he said.

The NNPP founder maintained that the political implications of a court decision did not automatically establish that it was politically procured.

According to him, allegations of executive interference or judicial compromise should be backed by credible evidence and subjected to appropriate scrutiny rather than amplified through political commentaries.

“A judgment having political consequences does not establish that it was politically procured. Equally, an outcome that affects the political fortunes of a prominent aspirant does not provide any material evidence that the Presidency engineered it.

“If there is evidence of executive interference or judicial compromise, it should be presented and subjected to appropriate scrutiny. But political suspicion must not be elevated into established fact simply because respected commentators repeat it,” Aniebonam stated.

He further distinguished between legitimate criticism of judicial decisions and allegations questioning the integrity of the judges who delivered them.

While acknowledging that court judgments could be subjected to legal scrutiny, he said attacks on judicial officers required credible evidence.

“There is a fundamental distinction between questioning the reasoning of a judgment and questioning the integrity of the judicial officer who delivered it. The former is legitimate legal criticism; the latter requires credible evidence,” he added.

Aniebonam advised the Mark-led ADC leadership to pursue available legal remedies, including taking the matter to the Supreme Court or seeking an order for a stay of execution, rather than resorting to political accusations.

He suggested that the party should exhaust the legal process to protect its political interests and explore available avenues to remain in contention ahead of the 2027 elections.

Drawing from the NNPP’s own experience with prolonged internal leadership disputes, the party leader said it had faced years of litigation without attributing its legal challenges to the Presidency.

He recalled that the party pursued its case through the courts until the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman faced the prospect of imprisonment over alleged disobedience to court orders recognising the NNPP’s leadership.

According to him, political parties must learn to manage internal disagreements before they degenerate into prolonged legal battles capable of threatening their electoral fortunes.

“In all political parties, some people will always feel aggrieved after internal primaries. The onus is on leadership to find ways to resolve their internal crisis and, if possible, stop the matter from litigation.

“Once the matter goes to court, it can go either way. We must learn to remain broad-minded on these issues and not always look for the ‘fall guy’,” he said.

The NNPP founder also cautioned the media against providing platforms for inflammatory statements capable of heightening political tensions and damaging Nigeria’s international reputation.

He expressed concern that the tendency of parties and their supporters to attack the judiciary whenever judgments go against them could further erode public confidence in the country’s judicial institutions.

“We should try to limit the way we portray the nation, as it has so much affected us globally. Each judgment delivered in Nigeria has those it did not favour calling out the judiciary,” he said.

With political activities gradually gathering momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections, Aniebonam urged political leaders, influential Nigerians and other stakeholders to exercise restraint in their public statements and place national unity and peace above partisan interests.

He called on political actors to embrace constructive engagement and legal processes rather than personal attacks and inflammatory rhetoric.

“It is my hope that all concerned shall be more constructive in their utterances and discussing issues than individual attacks,” he added.