The ADC is seen as the most powerful opposition to President Tinubu. Many influential politicians opposed to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have already defected to the party.
The legal saga could complicate things – it may cause uncertainty for hundreds of ADC candidates as well as raise questions over who has the authority to represent them.
But Abubakar, who is running for the presidency for a seventh time, is confident the matter will be resolved and called on his supporters not to be distracted.
“Nigerians deserve relief from this crushing cost-of-living crisis. We urge our supporters to remain resolute, take our message from house to house and door to door, and stay peaceful and focused,” the 79-year-old said.
Peter Obi – the other main presidential candidate, who is on the ballot for a second time – has said he is shocked by Thursday’s high court ruling.
He released a statement on X with the heading, external: “Do not undermine democracy”.
The 65-year-old went on to say: “My concern is that three months before a general election, it is in the public interest to have certainty.
Obi had briefly joined the ADC before leaving earlier this year to join the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) – in part because of the legal challenges within the ADC.
“The sustenance of democracy in Nigeria, in the midst of encroaching military rule in West Africa, should strengthen our resolve to protect opposition politics and not stamp out opposition parties,” he said.
The NDC’s candidate said that, as president, he would ensure that the existence of opposition parties would be respected.
“This is a time to strengthen our democracy by allowing the opposition to thrive.”
Additional reporting by Chris Ewokor in Abuja
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