Taiwo Popoola
Since the coalition of opposition leaders adopted the African Democratic Congress, ADC, as an official platform to contest the 2027 presidential election against President Bola Tinubu, there has been an influx of political actors into the party.
Urban Express News Online reports that the coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, David Mark, 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, former governors of Rivers and Kaduna States, Rotimi Amaechi and Nasir El-rufai, among other bigwigs from the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Labour Party and Social Democratic Party, SDP, adopted ADC on Wednesday July 2, 2025.
Some aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress, including a former National Chairman of the APC, John Oyegun, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami and former Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, are also part of the coalition aimed at wresting power from President Tinubu in 2027.
Urban Express News Online reports that the emergence of ADC reignited hope and rebirthed the formidable voice of opposition political parties.
While David Mark emerged as Interim National Chairman of the ADC, Aregbesola assumed the position of the party’s Interim National Secretary.
APC, ADC woo Kwankwaso
The leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement and 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso, is currently the centre of attention in the country’s political space as opposition leaders and the ruling party battle for his membership.
A source in NNPP told Our Correspondent on Sunday that some key opposition leaders from the northern region are currently mounting pressure on Kwankwaso to join the movement.
“Kwankwaso is being pressured to join the coalition. Of course, Tinubu’s men are also in talks with him, but as we all know, people no longer want to associate with this government.
“I can tell you that as it is right now, our leader in the person of Kwankwaso is yet to make a decision on whether to join the coalition movement or the ruling party.
“However, his weight is more on the coalition because, like I said, APC is not a party to reckon with.
“I believe that as we progress, especially as the electioneering season draws closer, everything will be made clear soon.
“Kwankwaso is currently the new bride, and the reason is that Kano State is one of the states that produces the largest number of votes in the country.
“So, both the APC and the opposition people understand that if they can capture Kwankwaso, they have captured Kano State.
“I can tell you for free that Kwankwaso controls the entire political structure in the state”, he said.
The Kano State Chairman of the NNPP, Hashimu Dungurawa, had in an interview with Urban Express News, declared that wherever their leader goes, they are ready to follow.
“We are his blind followers, wherever he is taking us, we will follow him, we don’t have a problem”, Hashimu told Our Correspondent.
More Nigerians Align with ADC
Since the party was adopted by the coalition of opposition leaders on Wednesday, there has been an influx of politicians from all quarters, seeking membership of the party.
Urban Express News Online gathered over the weekend that at least five sitting governors in elections under the umbrella of the PDP have given their consent to join the party.
According to sources, some APC governors, particularly from the northern region, are covertly backing the opposition leaders plotting to unseat President Tinubu in 2027.
According to Kabiru Garba, Chairman of ADC in Zamfara State, no fewer than 100 political actors in the state have joined ADC.
Garba also disclosed that the state Governor, Dauda Lawal, is also expected to join the movement after an invitation was extended to him.
Meanwhile, more leaders of the PDP and aggrieved members of APC recently joined the ADC from Benue, Niger, Kano, Gombe, Borno and Yobe states.
A former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Alex Adum, in a letter dated July 2, 2025 and addressed to the PDP chairman in Mbabur Council Ward, Gwer LGA of Benue State, indicated that he was leaving the party to “rescue Nigeria.”
Adum, who has been a member of PDP since 1998, stated that “as a loyal party man, I do not wish my new partisan endeavours to conflict with that of the PDP since the party leadership has elected not to formally join the National Coalition Movement.”
Similarly, a former Benue commissioner, Olofu Samuel, who served under the immediate past administration, also announced his resignation in a letter to the Edikwu Ward 2 chairman in Apa LGA.
A PDP chieftain in Kano State, Ibrahim Amin, also resigned membership of the PDP, citing prolonged internal crises and a lack of party cohesion.
Also, in a letter dated July 3, 2025 and addressed to the PDP ward chairman in Suleja, Niger State, a party chieftain, Mohammed Mukhtar, said his decision came after “deep personal reflection and consultations with associates.”
Another Kano PDP leader, Mukhtar Adam, also quit the party on Thursday to join ADC.
In his letter to the Tundun Wada Ward chairman, he cited “persistent internal crises at both the national and state levels.”
In Gombe State, Air Vice Marshal Shehu Adamu (retd), PDP governorship candidate in 2023, on Thursday, resigned from the party.
On Sunday, Babagana Yakubu Mohammed, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Resigned From his membership APC and joined ADC.
Jimin Geoffrey, ex-Senior Special Assistant on Media to the former governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, told Newsmen that he is also considering joining ADC.
Battle for the presidential ticket
There are strong indications that the coalition is bound to be torn apart following the ambition of some of the key political figures, who are aspiring to be the party’s flag bearer in the 2027 election.
While Atiku is strongly making plans for another shot at the presidency, Peter Obi’s supporters believe the presidential ticket should be given to the former Anambra Governor.
According to some political analysts, the 2027 presidential ticket should be zoned to the South with Peter Obi or Rotimi Amaechi flying the ADC flag.
However, some northern stakeholders within the party are plotting to present Atiku as the ADC presidential candidate, with Peter Obi as running mate.
But speaking with the Newsmen on Sunday, National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Yunusa Tanko, said Peter Obi cannot be a running mate to anyone.
“All we have been saying is that wherever Peter Obi goes, we will follow him, but we have also made our points clear that Obi is going to be the flag bearer of any party he joins.
