The African Democratic Congress (ADC) appears to have emerged as the new political bride in Nigeria?s opposition landscape, following its adoption by a coalition of opposition leaders as the platform to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

Previously on the fringes of national politics, the party was adopted by coalition leaders on Tuesday night in what one proponent described as ?the official birth of the coalition?.

The coalition, which is led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party?s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, was formally announced on March 20. However, a decision on which political platform to adopt had been delayed by several rounds of talks, initially with the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

The SDP had appeared the frontrunner after El-Rufai defected from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), sparking a wave of interest from his supporters and other northern political leaders. But cracks soon emerged. SDP?s national chairman, Shehu Gabam, ruled out participation in any party merger, publicly declaring that the party would not allow itself to be used as a ?special-purpose vehicle by selfish politicians.?

Following weeks of consultations, coalition leaders met in Abuja on Tuesday night and resolved, among other decisions, to adopt the ADC as their platform of choice, Daily Trust gathered.

The meeting was confirmed by El-Rufai in Katsina yesterday, although he did not disclose details of what was agreed.

?Yesterday at 8 p.m., there was a very important meeting of the coalition we are putting together to ensure that President Tinubu returns to Lagos in 2027. But we will keep the minister (referring to Bosun Tijjani, the minister of communications and digital economy) because he is doing well,? El-Rufai said during remarks at Arewa Tech Fest.

Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, Paul Ibe, media adviser to Atiku Abubakar, confirmed the ADC?s adoption as the coalition?s platform.

?Yes, ADC has been agreed as the party,? he said. ?The coalition leaders have set up relevant committees and directed them to resolve grey areas in the arrangement and prepare for a public unveiling,? he added, when asked about the terms agreed with the ADC.

On the breakdown of talks with the SDP, Ibe said, ?The SDP was never really a platform under serious consideration. It was a strategic move to house the CPC component of the APC ahead of a formal transition. You could call it a container to absorb CPC elements before moving to the final platform.?

?But they?ve moved beyond the SDP now. They are now in the ADC.?

Explaining the rationale behind the ADC choice, he said, ?The party met all the coalition?s requirements. The coalition leaders were clear about what they were looking for in a platform, and ADC must have satisfied those expectations.?

While stating he was not privy to all the specific requirements, Ibe noted that ADC was not the only party considered, but it was ultimately chosen at the end of the process.

?The coalition is now official, but there is still work for the committees to do, including finalising the party structure and leadership. The public unveiling will simply formalise what was achieved during Tuesday night?s meeting of all major stakeholders.?

While it was gathered that the coalition leaders have yet to reach a consensus on who will fly the party?s flag in the 2027 presidential election, sources indicated that the unspoken understanding is that the conversation would likely commence now that the platform issue has been settled.

One source said, ?Everyone will be allowed to contest for the presidency,? adding that there is a tacit gentleman?s agreement that whoever emerges as the candidate would receive the backing of the rest.

A brief on ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was established in 2005 by a group of political activists and reform-minded Nigerians. The key figure behind it is Ralphs Okey Nwosu, who has served as the party?s national chairman since its inception. The party positions itself as a centrist platform advocating inclusive governance, youth empowerment and national development.

Over the years, the ADC has participated in several general elections, fielding presidential candidates and contesting legislative seats. In the 2023 presidential election, the party nominated Dumebi Kachikwu as its flag bearer. While it has consistently taken part in presidential races, its candidates have not secured significant vote shares. For instance, in 2023, the party polled 81,919 votes, placing fifth overall behind the APC?s Bola Tinubu, PDP?s Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party?s Peter Obi and the NNPP?s Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

In the 2019 election, the ADC candidate, the late Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, garnered 97,874 votes to finish fourth out of 73 candidates. In 2015, the party fielded Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmad, who polled 29,666 votes and placed seventh out of 14 contestants.

In the 2023 National Assembly elections, Leke Abejide was re-elected to represent Yagba Federal Constituency in Kogi State under the ADC platform. He won with 23,271 votes, defeating candidates from both the APC and PDP. The party also secured another House of Representatives seat through Salman Idris, who was elected to represent Kabba-Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency of Kogi State, although he has since defected to the APC.

Analysts believe the ADC?s consistency in past presidential elections, where it has steadily emerged behind the major contenders, positioned it as a viable option for the emerging coalition?especially given the ongoing internal crises in the three leading opposition parties: PDP, LP and NNPP.

The Social Democratic Party (SDP), earlier considered by the coalition, reportedly fell short of expectations after concerns emerged that the ruling APC may have influence over its leadership, raising fears that the party could face the same fate as other compromised opposition platforms before 2027.

It was also gathered that the coalition factored in the possibility that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) might exercise its power to deregister political parties that fail to meet the threshold of winning seats in the National Assembly or state legislatures. This concern further tilted the preference toward the ADC.

Similarly, the absence of leadership tussles within the party since its inception was also seen as a positive factor.

ADC chair: We?ll meet coalition committee today

Also speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, ADC National Chairman Ralphs Nwosu confirmed the party would meet today with the committee it had set up to interface with the coalition.

?The coalition discussion is ongoing. We are still engaging many patriots?party leaders and civil society actors. If it works out, it?s not about quid pro quo. It?s about Nigeria,? Nwosu said.

?It?s for anyone ready to make sacrifices to save this country and make Nigeria work. As we speak, the poverty rate is alarming?75.5 per cent of Nigerians live below the poverty line. The only way we can reposition our country to become a continental leader and attain global relevance is through sacrifice. So anyone joining this coalition must be ready to make that sacrifice.?

Asked if he had personally met Atiku, Obi or El-Rufai, Nwosu replied in the negative.

?What ADC has done is to set up two major committees. Each has a chairman, a secretary and members. One committee is led by Dr Bamidele Ganiyu Ajadi, our deputy national chairman in charge of politics. He heads one of them.

?The second committee is led by Dr. Mani Ibrahim Ahmad. They?ve been travelling across the country, engaging with different actors, and they?re expected to brief us officially. That?s why we?re all in Abuja. They will brief us tomorrow (Thursday).?

He added: ?We?ll have a major NWC and NEC meeting tomorrow, where we?ll receive committee briefings. By then, we should have more clarity.?

Asked about the committees? terms of reference, Nwosu said: ?Nigeria first, always. That?s number one. Then inclusion, which our handshake symbol represents. We must embrace full inclusiveness. There are those unwilling to do that?we don?t want to work with them.

?Our handshake says it all: a handshake across Nigeria. Members of this coalition must also have a continental worldview. You can?t focus solely on local, narrow, ethnocentric perspectives. That?s why we are the African Democratic Congress. Nigeria has over 20 per cent of Africa?s population. You can?t discuss Nigeria?s future without a continental approach.

?This is Africa?s moment. These are the parameters the committees were given?to prioritise inclusion and a strong African continental vision.?

On the involvement of APC members, Nwosu said: ?This coalition is broad-based. We have people from all political parties, including APC, joining us. Many APC members are pushing for it because they?re disillusioned. What they see now is not what they bargained for.

?Many of our politicians start out with good intentions but get trapped in systems that corrupt them. This coalition process has taken over six months, and some ask why. It?s because we make people reflect deeply before any engagement. Are you ready to put Nigeria first? How can we correct past mistakes? If you?ve been a governor or held any position, how can you make amends and help us move forward?

?Those reflections have taken place?and they will continue. By the grace of God, by 2027, Nigeria will have a president ready to act from day one, one who will fundamentally change the country?s strategic direction.?

Recall that Nwosu had last week hinted that the party had been chosen as the coalition?s platform to challenge the ruling APC in the 2027 general election.

Speaking during the party?s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting last Thursday through the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Mani Ahmed, Nwosu said that while the process of building consensus had been painstaking and time-consuming, it had now reached a decisive phase.

?I can categorically, today, by the grace of God, inform you that the African Democratic Congress is the coalition party in Nigeria. What remains to be done is nothing other than dotting the I?s and crossing the T?s,? he said.

He added that the coalition presents a significant opportunity for the ADC to embrace and accommodate all Nigerians, regardless of background.

?By this gesture, we are inviting every Nigerian who loves this country to join us in this new crusade to bring about enduring democratic change in our nation by coming into our party?the African Democratic Congress?which can easily be seen as the African Democratic Coalition,? he said.

Reacting to the development, the APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, told Daily Trust yesterday that the 2027 election would be a walkover for the party.

He described the ADC as inconsequential and said that with its adoption by the opposition coalition, the APC could begin celebrating even before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releases the election guidelines.

?If Atiku is not confident of victory under the banner of the PDP, or he is not confident that the PDP can champion the cause to victory, and he is moving to a party that doesn?t even have a local government?and that is the platform they plan to rally round to give APC sleepless nights?I think they have made our job easier. We are not rattled; the election will be a walkover for us,? Ibrahim said.

When contacted, Debo Ologunagba, National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said the party would not comment until the development is officially confirmed.

Asked whether the party was concerned that its 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, could be on his way out just weeks after the departure of his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa, the PDP spokesman said Atiku?s purported exit remained speculative.

?What we are focused on now is our upcoming NEC meeting,? he said.

Similarly, the Labour Party (LP) dismissed the report of the adoption of ADC as the platform to challenge President Tinubu in 2027 as hearsay.

The party?s National Publicity Secretary, Obiorah Ifoh, told Daily Trust on Wednesday that the LP would not comment on the matter.

?We can?t comment on hearsay,? Ifoh said.

His remarks followed the party?s repeated insistence that it was not engaged in any merger talks.

?The Labour Party is not in any merger or coalition talks with anyone?be it individuals, parties, or organisations. We are aware of individuals engaged in such talks for their personal and selfish reasons. They are not representing the Labour Party. We are not involved in any merger or coalition,? Ifoh added.

On his part, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Obi?s support group, Dr Yunusa Tanko, told Daily Trust that it was better for the leaders involved to formally address the matter.

?I have said that what is currently going on is discussion at individual levels, and the leaders in such discussions should be allowed to come public on their decisions,? Tanko said.

Asked about the reported collapse of merger talks with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Tanko stated there was no such engagement involving the SDP, the Obidient Movement, or Peter Obi personally.

The reported conditions met before the ADC was adopted as the coalition?s party for the 2027 elections, he said: ?The individuals having discussions should be allowed to come public on their discussions.?

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has ruled out the PDP as a potential participant in the emerging coalition seeking to unseat President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Speaking on Arise Television on Wednesday, Lawal ? one of the leading figures in the coalition ? said stakeholders have focused discussions on creating a new political platform, either through registering a fresh party or adopting and repositioning an existing one. According to him, the PDP has been deemed unsuitable due to entrenched structural defects.

?In all the meetings I?ve attended so far, nobody has ever considered adopting the PDP as the platform,? Lawal said. ?We all agree that the PDP has an incurable virus. No antibiotics can cure what is ailing the PDP, and we don?t want to go into a house that we cannot modify, that is not willing to change.?

He said the coalition ? comprising prominent politicians disenchanted with the current political order ? is driven by a shared commitment to building a credible alternative. He also confirmed that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar remains actively involved in the process.

According to Lawal, the coalition is expected to unveil its new political platform soon to address growing public interest and uncertainty over its structure and direction.

His comments followed a statement by Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro (Benue South), who insisted that the PDP?s nationwide presence and institutional experience place it in the best position to anchor any viable opposition coalition.

Political analysts weigh in

The National President of the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA), Prof. Hassan Saliu, said Nigerians should concede that the political actors who moved to the ADC may have done their groundwork before settling on the platform.

According to him, the current political trajectory has moved beyond the debate over the most preferred party, and only time will tell whether the coalition made the right call.

?ADC is a registered political party and does not want to remain a fringe player. The influx of disgruntled elements from other parties could help it gain national relevance. But the movement is more about capturing power than genuine affection for the party,? Prof. Saliu said.

He noted that the decision may have been spurred by the uncompromising posture of key leaders within the SDP where the coalition initially leaned. ?They probably foresaw resistance to taking over the party structure and saw the ADC as a softer landing. Unlike the SDP, which appears somewhat rigid, the ADC has little to lose and more to gain.?

On whether the ADC could make a significant impact in the upcoming elections, Prof. Saliu said historical precedents like the merger that birthed the APC suggest that nothing is impossible in politics. ?Every political gamble carries risks,? he added.

However, Prof. Gbade Ojo offered a more sceptical view, describing the move as a misstep that amounts to ?starting from scratch?.

According to him, the ADC lacks the political structure necessary to mount a serious challenge?no senators, governors or local government control. ?Politics is about structure, and the ADC currently controls none. Their move only strengthens the ruling party?s chances,? he said.

Prof. Ojo observed that the coalition elements appear confused, having flirted with both the SDP and now the ADC. ?They?ve not crafted a coherent strategy. Their disarray may lead to voter apathy in 2027 if citizens are left with no viable alternative, which could affect the legitimacy of any eventual winner.?

He stressed that even the ruling party should be concerned about the weakening of opposition, noting that robust democracy thrives on a healthy opposition. ?The fundamental problem is that these coalition elements are not ideologically aligned, which limits how far they can go. That?s bad for our democracy,? he warned.

For Chief Peter A. Olorunnisola (SAN), the larger issue is not whether the coalition can challenge the ruling party, but how to foster good governance.

?We must move away from the assumption that governance only improves when there?s a strong opposition. In the past, people like the late Chief Awolowo provided constructive opposition through intellectual engagement, not mere antagonism.?

He added, ?Opposition should not be about pulling the government down at all costs. Even in countries with dominant party systems, governance can thrive when institutions work. What we need is maturity in our political engagement.? (Daily Trust)

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