The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has become the vehicle for a new opposition coalition ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 election. Its green logo – two hands clasped in a handshake – symbolises a drive for national unity and renewal.
Leading figures include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Ex-Labour Party candidate Peter Obi is also among them. They have rallied behind the ADC as their platform.
However, cracks are appearing. Punch reports that Obi’s staunch supporters, the “Obidient Movement,” are making demands. They insist he be named the ADC’s 2027 presidential candidate. If not, they will “walk away” from the party.
This demand is often couched in regional terms. The phrase “the South deserves to rule eight years before power returns to the North” illustrates this. It has alarmed some ADC leaders, especially in the North. They describe the Obidients’ attitude as overbearing.
Obidient Pressure: Obi’s followers have publicly demanded the 2027 ticket. They argue by rotation that the South should hold the presidency through 2031.
Party Leaders’ Concerns: ADC officials warn that absolutist slogans like “Obi or nothing” foster division. National spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi cautioned that such divisive stances are playing “to the advantage of the APC.” Shouting “Obi or nothing” is not helping Obi or the coalition.
Obi Allies’ Stance: Prominent activists Aisha Yesufu and Prof. Pat Utomi (Obi loyalists) have made a strong declaration. They will withdraw support if Obi is not the presidential candidate. They might even work against any such ticket.
Yesufu has said she will oppose any ticket that makes Obi a running mate. She will do this “even if I don’t support any other person.” Utomi likewise said he would “walk away” if Obi serves as vice-president.
Alliance Building: Obi has also engaged other opposition figures. He publicly promised to serve only one term if elected in 2023. He has courted former Kano governor Rabiu Kwankwaso for a joint ticket. This signals an ambition to unite southern and northern votes.
Internal Apprehension: Some ADC insiders concede growing anxiety. A Punch source in Abuja acknowledged no open split yet. However, they warned that the way supporters on both sides are driving their interests “may jeopardise the party’s chances in 2027”.
Experienced analysts likewise caution that the coalition lacks the structural strength of past successes. The ADC has no sitting governors. Factional disputes in parties like the PDP/LP are still playing out.
ADC Leaders Call for Unity
ADC veterans are urging restraint. Former national chairman Ralph Nwozu (Okey Nwosu) insisted that only a small fraction of Obi’s followers are causing trouble.
He told reporters that Obi himself has repeatedly emphasised the coalition is “about the country, not an individual”. Much of the social media agitation is being stoked by outsiders, not ADC members.
Nwozu claimed “more than 60 per cent” of the inflammatory posts under the Obidient banner come from people who “are not even members of the ADC”.
He stressed that Obi has shown commitment to party unity. He confidently assured that the party’s primaries “will not cause any division”.
Similarly, ADC Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi warned against “mindset that a particular aspirant must be the party’s candidate”, describing it as divisive.
In a virtual ADC meeting, he was blunt with the activists. He told them that insisting “it is either this candidate or nothing” only aids President Bola Tinubu’s ruling party.
Abdullahi urged supporters to drop absolutism, noting that “getting the ticket alone means nothing. What is important is winning the election”.
He added that all the party’s aspirants are “eminently qualified.” Vilifying any one candidate or region only weakens them.
ADC state leaders have echoed the plea for calm. Kogi State ADC Chairman Kingsley Ogga leads the Chairmen’s Forum. He warned that the “Obi or nothing” stance is already hampering the party’s progress.
Ogga noted that branches are forming with different loyalties, and argued:
“We cannot just say because Obi is coming, everybody must say it must be him… the attitude of people who are insisting that it must be one person will divide the party”.
He cautioned that if one group insists on a guaranteed outcome, “people of Amaechi will say it must be Amaechi.” People from Atiku’s side will say it must be Atiku. This will lead to a breakdown in unity.
ADC National Treasurer Ibrahim Mani likewise emphasised that the party should not be built around any individual’s ambition.
He told our correspondent that the ADC is meant to be a “strong, distinctive opposition party.” It gives Nigerians a choice, not simply a vehicle for one person.
Mani said leaders must broaden the coalition, not narrow it. He warned that treating ADC as a mere “ticket” is the wrong mentality.
Obi’s Camp Defends Itself
Obi’s supporters insist they are simply exercising democratic advocacy. Yunusa Tanko, national coordinator of the Obidient Movement, rejected claims that they are imposing Obi’s candidacy on the party.
He described the movement as “democratic”, saying they are only trying to “market our product” (Mr. Obi) without being antagonistic. Tanko emphasised that team politics allows each candidate’s base to campaign openly:
“In a team, it is good that you sell your own product so that people will really value it,” he said .
Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) National Secretary Peter Ameh is an ally of Obi. He similarly urged ADC to allow a free contest.
He warned against “micromanaging” the campaign by silencing Obi’s supporters. He argued that open competition and expression of ideas actually strengthen the party.
“Allowing people to express themselves helps the party grow,” Ameh said.
He noted that each aspirant should be able to court public support. Restricting Obi’s voices out of fear of overshadowing others would undermine ADC’s purpose.
Atiku’s Call for Calm
Outside the ADC, even former VP Atiku Abubakar has intervened. He took to social media to caution followers on both sides against attacking one another.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Atiku wrote that anyone
“who insults Obi or Atiku does not mean well for the leaders, the coalition ADC, and for Nigeria”.
He stressed that such internal feuding plays directly into APC hands.
“The only persons who benefit from such a civil war,” he warned, “are the APC urban bandits, who want to maintain the satanic status quo.”
Atiku emphasised that cooperation among opposition groups is “critical to advancing national development and democratic progress”.
Even allied Northern pressure groups have taken sides. Umar Ardo of the League of Northern Democrats declared on TV. He stated that unless Atiku steps aside, Atiku remains the overwhelming favourite to win any ADC primary.
He asserted: “If [the ADC primary is] held a hundred times, Atiku will win a hundred times.”
By contrast, Ardo said, Obi’s only path is if Atiku withdraws. (Ardo also noted that Obi brings a large vote bloc – he estimates “more than six million votes” – which is why ADC wants him involved, but he framed Obi as an asset to carry votes, not as the presumptive candidate.)
Analysis: Coalition Strengths and Weaknesses
Observers note that the ADC’s situation is complex. According to analysts, Nigeria’s opposition coalitions have often been fragile.
LSE political scholar Onyedikachi Madueke highlights a difference. Unlike Buhari’s APC in 2015, which had 16 incumbent governors on board, the ADC currently has no sitting governors to mobilise votes. This means it must rely largely on popular figures and grassroots organising.
Madueke also highlights ongoing fractures. Legal battles and defections have plagued both the PDP and Labour Party. Many disgruntled politicians are still defecting to the ruling APC rather than joining ADC.
He warned that soon after the ADC coalition was announced, a faction of the original ADC party even claimed “it hadn’t agreed to the alliance.” This was an early sign of potential legal and political headaches.
In sum, the ADC coalition “faces formidable obstacles” unless it heals its divisions. Madueke cautions that without urgent unity, the party’s lofty goals may falter:
“The dream of replicating the APC’s 2015 success may remain just that, a dream,” he wrote.
Indeed, ADC leaders themselves acknowledge that it must broaden support far beyond any single leader to win. Their repeated message is unity. No one candidate is guaranteed. All aspirants are qualified. A fragmented campaign would play into the incumbent’s hands.
Conclusion
The ADC is at a crossroads. Its leaders publicly insist that 2027 primaries will not splinter the party, but the situation remains delicate.
The coming months will test whether Obi’s Obidient Movement can temper its demands. It will also test whether Atiku’s camp will refrain from its own exclusivist rhetoric.
The coalition can forge consensus. This may be achieved by truly airing all contenders. Maintaining the symbolic handshake of unity will also helps. If successful, it may harness its broad base. If not, analysts warn, the very divisions now visible could make the opposition’s “rescue” of Nigeria a distant dream.
Follow us on our broadcast channels today!
- WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VawZ8TbDDmFT1a1Syg46
- Telegram: https://t.me/atlanticpostchannel
- Facebook: https://www.messenger.com/channel/atlanticpostng
