Atiku Abubakar, former presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has confirmed the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the official political platform for the new opposition coalition, as fresh details surrounding the 2027 presidential deal emerge.
9News Nigeria gathered that the development followed a meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday night, where key opposition figures resolved to rally behind the ADC as their united front against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the next general election.
The ADC was chosen after weeks of intense consultations among coalition leaders—including Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Recall that El-Rufai confirmed the meeting on Wednesday while speaking at an event in Kaduna.
“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,” he said.
Atiku through his spokesperson, Paul Ibe, has also confirmed the decision.
“Yes, ADC has been agreed as the party. 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 said.
Clarifying earlier speculation about the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Ibe said the SDP was only a temporary option. “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,” he added.
Explaining why the ADC was chosen, Ibe 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.”
“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.”
Although a flagbearer for the 2027 race has yet to be announced, sources close to the talks revealed that discussions on candidacy are expected to begin now that the platform has been finalised.
“Everyone will be allowed to contest for the presidency,” one source said, noting there is an unspoken understanding that all aspirants would rally behind the eventual nominee.
He, however refused to comment on if Peter Obi will still be Atiku’s Vice Presidential candidate.
He maintained it’s still an ongoing conversation.
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