2027: ADC Expresses Worry Over Possible Atiku–Obi Split

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has admitted that the party is worried about the possibility that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi may not unite ahead of the 2027 elections.

Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, Abdullahi described the situation as a challenge the party is monitoring closely.

He cautioned, however, against labeling the Atiku–Obi situation as the “greatest threat” to Nigeria’s democracy, as suggested during the interview.

“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms to say that it is the greatest threat to democracy at the moment. But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes,” Abdullahi said.

He noted that while the matter is important, the ADC’s current priority is strengthening its national structure and building capacity ahead of 2027.

According to him, the party is not yet discussing potential presidential candidates because it is still focused on expanding and consolidating its presence across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We have so much work to do, to establish our presence, to be in a position to contest elections in all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. So, this has preoccupied us. But we know that is an issue we have to deal with,” he stated.

Abdullahi added that the ADC may consider selecting its presidential flagbearer through consensus. If that does not materialize, the race will be opened to all interested aspirants.

“The most important thing at this time is, when we get to that point, we’ll try to engineer a consensus, which is an option for us. But if we are not able to reach a consensus, then we’ll possibly just open it up for everyone to contest. And it’s not just about Atiku and Peter Obi,” he said.

He further stressed that the Atiku–Obi scenario is not the only factor the party is weighing.

“There are other people who are also interested in contesting the presidential race. We have to make allowance that it’s not a settled case between just Atiku and Peter Obi,” he added.

Abdullahi also revealed that the ADC is holding discussions with other political parties as part of efforts to build a stronger coalition ahead of the 2027 general election.

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