AS Nigeria inches closer to the 2027 general elections, a fierce political rivalry is reportedly brewing within the opposition coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, at the center of the unfolding power play.
Multiple insider sources within the ADC allege that Atiku has quietly consolidated influence across the party’s structures, positioning himself for another run at the presidency, while Obi’s supporters complain of being sidelined from critical decision-making processes.
The friction within the coalition, meant to serve as a united front against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has exposed fault lines that could weaken opposition prospects in 2027.
According to a senior ADC source who spoke on condition of anonymity, Atiku has effectively taken over more than 70% of the ADC’s national and state structures.
This dominance, the source claimed, was achieved by deploying significant financial resources early in the coalition’s formation to woo key party players and shape its direction.
“In some states where ADC chairmen resisted Atiku’s influence, efforts are ongoing to replace them with loyalists,” the insider said. “Atiku’s camp planned this from day one. If he’s not running, he’ll still control who does.”
The source added that most key organs of the party, including the National Working Committee (NWC), Board of Trustees (BoT), and zonal bodies have now tilted towards Atiku, leaving Obi’s camp scrambling to stay relevant.
The Obidient Movement, which supports Peter Obi, recently raised alarm over what it described as systematic exclusion from the ADC coalition’s inner workings.
In a leaked memo dated July 29, 2025, and signed by National Coordinator Tanko Yunusa, the group lamented the lack of inclusion of its members in core deliberations and decision-making bodies.
“Our people are deliberately excluded at all levels,” the memo read. “Several of our designated representatives are reportedly being shut out of meetings that shape the future of the coalition. This marginalization undermines the trust essential for unity.”
Speaking with our correspondent, Yunusa clarified that while Peter Obi remains committed to the coalition’s goal of unseating Tinubu, he has not taken any decision about joining the ADC formally.
“Obi is not struggling for relevance. Discussions about integrating his loyalists are still ongoing. When the time is right, he’ll take a stand,” Yunusa added.
In response to the claims, ADC interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, strongly denied any takeover of the party by Atiku or any other aspirant.
“All stakeholders are being carried along. The ADC does not belong to any individual,” Abdullahi said. “Peter Obi nominated the National Organising Secretary, a key NWC position. So there’s no exclusion.”
He added that the party is focused on creating a level playing field for all aspirants and has not endorsed any candidate.
“Our commitment is to ensure a transparent process where anyone with presidential ambition will be treated fairly. We are not discussing candidatures yet,” he stressed.
Chairman of the ADC Board of Trustees, Ibrahim Mani, echoed similar sentiments, dismissing concerns about disunity.
“We have no internal division. What we’re dealing with is the natural concern of supporters reacting to early politicking,” he said.
He criticized the ruling APC for pushing the country prematurely into campaign mode, noting that the opposition’s focus should remain on governance failures and nation-building, not early ambition.
“At the moment, our priority is building a platform that accommodates millions of Nigerians joining the party daily. Any talks of ambition are secondary.”
Apart from Atiku and Obi, former Transport Minister and 2023 APC presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, is also reportedly interested in contesting under the ADC-led coalition platform.
Meanwhile, Atiku himself has subtly hinted at a sixth presidential run, a move seen by many as the rationale behind his camp’s aggressive positioning within the ADC.
While the ADC coalition was originally conceived as a big-tent alliance to challenge the APC’s political dominance, growing internal rivalries risk undermining its potential.
As one source put it, “The ADC is meant to be a coalition, but it’s beginning to look like a conquest.”