The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, has criticised former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the party’s national leadership and its nominations for the 2027 general elections.
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Keyamo maintained that judicial decisions are determined by facts, evidence and applicable laws rather than political sentiments or public outrage, accusing the Mark-led faction of attempting to take control of the ADC without complying with the party’s constitutional procedures.
The minister made the remarks in a post on his social media account on Thursday, November 5, 2026, shortly after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered judgment declaring the caretaker leadership headed by former Senate President David Mark unlawful.
Reacting to the development, Keyamo welcomed the court’s decision, declaring that justice might be delayed but would ultimately prevail.
In a post titled, “Justice may be slow, but it is always SURE!”, the minister argued that the disputed leadership could not lawfully assume control of a political party without obtaining the necessary approvals from its recognised organs.
He accused Mark and his political associates of attempting to take over a party established by other Nigerians without first securing approval through a mini-national convention or a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC).
According to Keyamo, the faction could not disregard the party’s internal procedures and subsequently blame the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) for the consequences of its actions.
“You cannot invade a political Party owned and built by Nigerians, hijack it with the connivance of a so-called National Chairman without a PRIOR meeting and approval of a mini National Convention or the National Executive Committee and hope to bluff your way out of such a brazen act by blaming and blackmailing the ruling Party for a misfortune deliberately stocked by you,” Keyamo stated.
The minister maintained that the legal dispute should be assessed on the evidence presented before the court rather than the political consequences of the judgment.
“Sorry, but the law is decided on facts and evidence, rather than sentiments and outrage by a group of people,” he added.
Keyamo also rejected suggestions that the judgment represented a threat to democracy merely because it affected Atiku’s presidential ambition.
He argued that the ADC existed before the emergence of the Mark-led leadership and that its original members were equally entitled to have their interests protected under the law.
“It is not only when a certain ATIKU ABUBAKAR contest the Presidency that democracy is not in danger. The ADC as a Party is well and alive and populated by people and original leaders who are NO LESS Nigerians than a David Mark and his illegal band of marauders,” he stated.
The minister’s comments followed Thursday’s judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, instituted by former ADC Deputy National Chairman, North-East, Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenging the process through which Mark, former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola and other members of the caretaker leadership assumed control of the opposition party.
Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, he was entitled under the ADC’s internal arrangements to assume leadership.
He maintained that the process through which Mark and other members of the interim National Working Committee emerged violated the party’s constitution and applicable electoral requirements.
The plaintiff consequently sought orders restraining Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively, and invalidating decisions taken under the disputed leadership.
The ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mark, Aregbesola and Nwosu were listed as defendants.
Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu upheld Gombe’s challenge and declared the Mark-led caretaker leadership unlawful, holding that the process through which it emerged violated the ADC constitution and relevant legal requirements.
The court consequently invalidated decisions taken under the leadership, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku as the party’s candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Justice Lifu also nullified the emergence of Aregbesola as National Secretary, the appointments of other national officers and the nominations of candidates presented by the party for the forthcoming elections.
The judgment extended to the party’s preparations for the presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly elections.
The decision has created uncertainty over the status of Atiku’s presidential ticket and the electoral nominations made under the leadership now declared unlawful.
Atiku, however, rejected the political implications of the judgment and accused the APC of attempting to weaken the ADC and frustrate his presidential ambition.
In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, the former Vice-President described the timing of the decision as suspicious, coming barely a day after his campaign rally in Sokoto State.
“The timing of this judgment is no coincidence. It is part of a strategy to weaken my support in the North and frustrate a campaign whose message is resonating across the country,” Atiku stated.
He also questioned the judgment in light of an earlier Federal High Court decision concerning the Mark-led leadership, maintaining that the ADC would challenge the latest ruling at the Court of Appeal.
The former Vice-President urged his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding while continuing the party’s presidential campaign.
Keyamo’s reaction, however, dismissed attempts to attribute the outcome of the litigation to political interference by the ruling party.
The minister insisted that the legal difficulties confronting the ADC were consequences of what he considered the faction’s failure to comply with the party’s established procedures.
His comments have added another dimension to the political exchange between the APC and ADC following the judgment.
While Atiku has accused the ruling party of attempting to undermine his candidacy, Keyamo maintains that the dispute arose from the legality of the leadership transition and the evidence presented before the court.
The opposing positions come as the ADC prepares to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal, where the legality of the leadership arrangement and the consequences for the party’s 2027 nominations may be subjected to further judicial review.
For Keyamo, however, the Federal High Court’s decision demonstrates that political influence and public sentiment cannot replace compliance with the law and a political party’s constitutional procedures.
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