2027: Heaven won’t fall if Atiku isn’t on ballot — Keyamo

The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said Nigeria will not suffer any catastrophe if former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is excluded from the ballot for the 2027 presidential election, while accusing opposition parties of inconsistency in their attitude towards the judiciary.

The declaration was made in a post on X on Friday, reacting to the Federal High Court judgment that nullified Atiku’s nomination as the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, ValidViewNetwork reports.

THE DECLARATION

Keyamo was unequivocal. “Heavens WILL NOT FALL IF A CERTAIN ATIKU ABUBAKAR IS NOT ON THE BALLOT IN 2027,” he wrote.

He questioned what he described as the inconsistent attitude of opposition parties towards the judiciary, arguing that political actors should respect court decisions regardless of whether they favour or hurt their interests .

“You cannot abuse judges and blackmail the judiciary when it doesn’t go your way,” he said.

THE PRECEDENTS

Keyamo recalled the Supreme Court’s 2019 judgment that invalidated the victories of APC candidates in Zamfara State, from the governorship to the state House of Assembly, and declared their PDP opponents winners.

Atiku, who contested the 2019 presidential election on the PDP platform, had welcomed the ruling at the time, describing it as a victory for the rule of law .

In a statement issued by his media adviser, Paul Ibe, the former vice-president said: “Nothing is as pleasing to the ears of believers, as justice being served in the holy month of Ramadan”.

Keyamo also cited the Supreme Court’s February 13, 2020, judgment that nullified the election of David Lyon, the APC candidate for Bayelsa governor, a day before his scheduled inauguration.

The ruling paved the way for PDP candidate Douye Diri to emerge as governor .The minister said the APC accepted the court’s decisions without attacking the judiciary, adding that opposition parties should not condemn judges when rulings go against them .

THE EARLIER REACTION

In an earlier reaction to the judgment, Keyamo said the manner in which the party was taken over could not stand .

“You cannot invade a political party owned and built by Nigerians and hijack it with the connivance of a so-called National Chairman without a prior meeting and approval of a mini National Convention or the National Executive Committee,” he said .

He added that those behind the takeover could not “bluff your way out of such a brazen act by blaming and blackmailing the ruling Party for a misfortune deliberately stocked by you” .

WHY IT MATTERS

Keyamo’s intervention is a direct challenge to Atiku’s narrative.

Atiku has framed the judgment as a politically motivated attack on the opposition. Keyamo is arguing that the judgment is simply the application of the law, and that the opposition cannot pick and choose when to respect the judiciary.

The minister’s reminder of the Zamfara and Bayelsa judgments is pointed. In both cases, the APC accepted rulings that went against it.

Keyamo is asking why Atiku cannot do the same. For Atiku, the answer is simple: he believes the judgment is wrong, and he will fight it.

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For Keyamo, the answer is equally simple: the law has spoken, and the heavens will not fall.

The legal battle continues. The political battle continues. And the heavens, for now, remain in place. ValidViewNetwork reports.