Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that a plot is underway to stop the African Democratic Congress (ADC) from participating in the 2027 general election.
Atiku made the allegation in a statement issued on Monday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.
He claimed that unnamed elements within the ruling establishment were working to prevent the opposition party from appearing on the ballot.
“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.
The former presidential candidate warned that any attempt to bar the ADC from contesting the election would amount to an attack on Nigeria’s democracy.
He challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to face the opposition at the polls rather than resort to what he described as political manipulation.
“If the APC is truly confident in its popularity, why is it so terrified of the ADC?” he asked.
Atiku also accused the ruling party of focusing on weakening the opposition instead of addressing 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,” he said.
He urged the judiciary, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, civil society organisations, and the international community to remain vigilant against actions capable of undermining the electoral process.
“The ballot is sacred, and every attempt to tamper with it is an attack on the Republic itself,” Atiku added.
His remarks come amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with the ADC emerging as a platform for opposition figures seeking to challenge the APC.
Neither the Presidency, the APC, nor INEC had reacted to the allegations as of the time this report was filed.
