The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has dismissed concerns over political instability following a major judicial blow to opposition coalitions.
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, SAN, declared in Abuja at 1:40 PM WAT on Friday, November 6, 2026, that Nigeria will remain stable even if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is barred from contesting the 2027 presidential election.
The statement came immediately after a landmark judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court declared the David Mark-led caretaker committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) illegal, nullifying all its resolutions, including the nomination of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2027 presidential standard-bearer.
The ruling restored Nafiu Bala, a former ADC national deputy chairman from the North-East, to legal authority.
Keyamo urged the opposition to respect the judiciary rather than blackmailing judges when rulings run counter to their interests.
Drawing parallels to historical precedents, the minister recalled how the APC abided by adverse court rulings in Zamfara and Bayelsa states without undermining the legal system, noting that Atiku himself previously argued that political actors must accept judicial decisions.
The minister also warned political figures against inciting public unrest or arming supporters under the pretense of “protecting votes”. Emphasizing that democratic institutions and law enforcement agencies are fully equipped to maintain order during the upcoming electoral cycle, Keyamo reaffirmed that no individual politician’s ambition is greater than the nation’s democratic stability.
