Nigerian court bars opposition leader ahead of vote

A Nigerian court has invalidated the nomination of opposition leader Atiku Abubakar to run in the upcoming presidential elections, just two months before the January 16th vote. This decision comes just before the polls, creating legal uncertainty for Abubakar and voters. The African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Abubakar, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of involvement in the lawsuit and plans to appeal the ruling.

However, the ruling poses challenges for the party and the elections. The ADC has been involved in legal battles over its leadership, including a separate lawsuit over its eligibility to contest the 2027 vote. The federal government backed the latter lawsuit. The APC denied any involvement in the current lawsuit. Abubakar's nomination was previously overturned by a ruling against the party's current leadership.

He had launched his campaign the day after this decision. The timing of this ruling is seen as deliberate by Abubakar. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) did not comment on the ruling. During the 2023 elections, EU observers noted that excessive pre-election litigation and internal party conflicts undermined trust in the democratic process.

The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of presidential candidate Peter Obi also claimed disruptions to their party meetings by the APC.