THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing an internal crisis barely two years before the 2027 general election, as key political actors within the coalition party are reportedly threatening to withdraw over former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s insistence on clinching the presidential ticket.
News Point Nigeria gathered from reliable sources that top stakeholders including former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential flagbearer in 2023 are becoming increasingly uneasy with what they perceive as Atiku’s “personalised agenda” within the coalition.
While Atiku has not formally declared his candidacy, his strategic positioning within the ADC and behind-the-scenes lobbying have triggered serious internal discontent, especially among those who support a rotational presidency favouring the South in 2027.
El-Rufai, who played a pivotal role in backing a southern candidate in 2023, reportedly remains resolute that power must remain in the South until 2031.
He has not yet declared his preferred candidate, but insiders believe he leans toward Peter Obi or Rotimi Amaechi.
“El-Rufai is not budging. He wants a southern president, and Atiku’s ambition threatens that balance. If the party insists on a northern candidate, he may walk away,” a source close to the former governor told News Point Nigeria.
A member of ADC’s interim management committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity, expressed concern that Atiku’s plans could undermine the coalition’s credibility.
“People joined the ADC hoping for a fresh alternative. But now it’s beginning to look like another vehicle for Atiku’s recycled ambition,” the official said.
The brewing tension has reportedly prompted Ahmed Datti, the Labour Party’s former vice-presidential candidate, to return to his roots within LP to strengthen efforts for a Peter Obi presidential bid in 2027.
“It’s part of a wider peace process to reunite the Obidient movement within the Labour Party,” Dr. Katch Ononuju, a key ADC member and Director-General of The Heritage Center told News Point Nigeria.
Ononuju believes the current developments mirror the 2023 scenario, where internal conflicts in the PDP led Obi to exit and mount an independent presidential run under LP.
“Atiku’s return to the ADC is already destabilizing the coalition, just like in 2023. This could again sideline the South,” he warned.
He also accused Atiku of maintaining a long-standing political alliance with David Mark, citing past coalitions involving the PDP and CPC in the 2013 merger that birthed the APC.
“History is repeating itself. Those who disrupted zoning in 2023 are now back at it in 2025,” Ononuju added.
The party appears divided on how to manage the impasse. While insiders stress that no candidate will be blocked from contesting, the push for zoning remains a flashpoint.
“We won’t stop anyone from running,” the ADC official clarified. “But whether the party survives this internal wrangling is a different matter.”
In Benue State, Action Alliance chairman John Enemari described the unfolding drama as the product of “greed and selfishness.”
“Without unity and a selfless front, the opposition coalition stands no chance in 2027,” he said.
He also cited the 2015 APC merger success as an example of what is possible when opposition parties rally behind a credible southern candidate.
“If they keep selling tickets to the highest bidder, Nigeria will never experience true equity, especially in underrepresented regions like Idoma in Benue,” he added.
Meanwhile, Labour Party’s spokesperson, Obiora Ifoh, confirmed the party welcomed Ahmed Datti at a recent National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, but emphasized that Peter Obi will not receive an automatic ticket.
“Peter Obi, just like any other aspirant, will go through the nomination process. The Obidient movement believes in merit and democratic values,” Ifoh said.
He further clarified that the Obidient group is not exclusive to the Labour Party:
“They exist across APC, PDP, LP, and others. It’s a movement, not a party structure.”
As the ADC coalition teeters under competing ambitions, political watchers say the next few months will determine whether it survives as a united third-force movement or collapses under the weight of entrenched political egos.