Nigeria: Court Invalidates Atiku Abubakar’s Candidacy

A Nigerian court on November 5 invalidated Atiku Abubakar’s nomination as the ADC’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election, along with the party leadership held by David Mark. Mark is in a dispute with Nafiu Bala Gombe over control of the party, and the ADC—which had its candidacy approved by the Independent National Electoral Commission—plans to appeal. The party denounced the ruling as an attempt to neutralize the opposition, while Bola Tinubu’s spokesperson, Daniel Bwala, denied any involvement by the ruling APC. The decision came after Abubakar launched his campaign in Sokoto, promising to restore security and fuel subsidies amid a cost-of-living crisis and persistent electoral tensions.