2027: Opposition coalition picks ADC as official party

In what appears to be a major political development ahead of the 2027 general elections, the opposition coalition has formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its official platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The decision was finalised late Tuesday night, with plans to unveil the party and its interim leadership team at an event in Abuja on Wednesday.

The coalition, which comprises disenchanted members from opposition parties, notably the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has appointed former Senate President David Mark as national chairman, former Osun State Governor and ex-Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, as national secretary, and former Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, as party spokesperson.

Several prominent PDP figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Sule Lamido, Tom Ikimi, Aminu Wali, and Uche Secondus, urged fellow party members and patriotic Nigerians to align with the coalition ahead of the elections.

They argued that both the PDP and APC had failed the country and a fresh political direction was long overdue.

Initially, the coalition had attempted to register a new party, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), after talks with ADC and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) stalled.

However, with fears that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) might frustrate the process, discussions with ADC resumed and eventually proved successful.

It was gathered that former President Goodluck Jonathan is believed to have a strong relationship with ADC’s leadership, which may have helped ease the adoption process.

Although Aregbesola initially declined his appointment, close allies reportedly persuaded him to reconsider.

In his acceptance speech, Aregbesola stressed that a political party should not merely serve as a vehicle for personal ambition but be a platform driven by ideology, values, and accountability.

He criticised the country’s current political culture, describing many parties as lacking principle and solely driven by power struggles.

He pledged that ADC under his leadership would promote democratic values, internal party democracy, social justice, and inclusivity, while ensuring marginalised groups and special interests have a voice within the party’s structure. Aregbesola said the party would prioritise public welfare, security, education, and job creation while modelling international best practices in party administration and governance.

Meanwhile, PDP stalwarts, operating under the umbrella of ‘Concerned Leaders of the PDP’ and led by David Mark, expressed concern over the state of the party since its loss in the 2023 presidential election and the ousting of former chairman Dr Iyorchia Ayu. In a communique, they described the APC-led government as a failure and declared their resolve to remove it from power in 2027.

They lamented Nigeria’s deteriorating state, accusing the current government of using state institutions to suppress democracy. The communique said Nigeria’s standing in Africa and globally had diminished, and that the PDP had lost its leadership role due to internal crises and external intimidation.

Other notable figures at the meeting included Liyel Imoke, Babangida Aliyu, Sam Egwu, Aminu Tambuwal, Gabriel Suswam, Adamu Maina Waziri, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, Senator Ben Obi, Mrs Josephine Anenih, Kola Ologbondiyan, Senator Abdul Ninge, and Senator Austin Akobundu.

The coalition maintained that the APC must be voted out in 2027, describing the party’s governance as a disaster, and calling on well-meaning Nigerians and PDP members to join the new movement.

The official unveiling of ADC as the opposition’s political vehicle is scheduled for 2pm Wednesday at Asokoro, Abuja.