A former Governor of Edo State and National Legal Adviser of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Oserheimen Osunbor, has expressed optimism that the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would survive the current challenge, because he has the support of the people.
NEWSNGR reports that Osunbor’s comments followed Thursday’s judgment by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which sacked the David Mark-led ADC leadership and invalidated actions taken by the party under the leadership, including the process that produced Atiku as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment in a suit filed by a former National Deputy Chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led leadership assumed control of the ADC.
The party has rejected the ruling and vowed to challenge it at the appellate court.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Thursday, Osunbor said the All Progressives Congress (APC) is being jittery ahead of the January 2027 presidential election and does not want a strong candidate to challenge President Bola Tinubu.
Osunbor said the party and its presidential candidate, were continuing with their campaigns because they believed the court judgment nullifying Atiku’s candidacy would not stand.
He said, “I have said that repeatedly, they (APC) are afraid of any strong candidate running against President Bola Tinubu in the January presidential election.
“Our presidential candidate (Atiku Abubakar) and the presidential campaign is going on, unperturbed because we believe that this judgment will not stand and cannot stand.
He “Atiku will survive because the people are behind him. The force of the people will be greater than the force of those who want to enslave Nigerians.”
