A coalition of opposition forces has formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.
Recall that the APC, during its recent national summit in Abuja, endorsed and adopted President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential poll.
But opposition leaders, including the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the last election, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna); as well as ex-Speaker and former Sokoto State governor, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, among other political heavyweights, had formed a coalition under Atiku’s leadership to unseat Tinubu in the next election.
At the formal adoption of the ADC yesterday, the coalition announced former Senate President David Mark and former Interior Minister Aregbesola as interim national chairman and secretary of the party, respectively.
The event, initially scheduled for the Wells Carlton Hotel, was eventually held at the Yar’adua Centre in Abuja after the hotel reportedly cancelled the booking.
‘We’re on a mission to rescue Nigeria’ – Mark
Speaking shortly after his unveiling as interim national chairman, Mark said the coalition’s move was aimed at rescuing Nigeria from authoritarian drift.
He said the alliance was formed to prevent the country’s “descent into a one-party state,” accusing the Tinubu administration of hijacking democratic institutions and leading Nigeria towards a “creeping civilian dictatorship.”
Mark lamented that under Tinubu’s government, Nigerians are “wallowing in abject poverty, hunger and insecurity, without any meaningful government effort to address the situation”.
He also decried the alleged subjugation of the National Assembly, describing it as an “appendage of presidential authority” that no longer serves to protect Nigerians.
“The blatant destabilisation and infiltration of all major opposition political parties is aimed at achieving only one objective — total state capture, leaving Nigerians with no alternative in 2027,” Mark said.
He added, “We have never seen this level of insecurity across the country. Bandits and kidnappers kill Nigerians at will daily, yet the government has failed to act decisively.”
Mark further accused the legislature of being reduced to “cheerleaders and praise singers of the president,” saying this enables the executive to implement “whimsical, unconstitutional policies” that have deepened poverty and insecurity.
He warned that the country’s democracy and unity were under threat and called on all Nigerians — young and old, rich and poor — to join the movement to save the nation.
On why the coalition settled for the ADC, Mark said the party was chosen after several months of consultations with critical stakeholders.
“After extensive deliberations spanning months, the coalition has decided to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the vehicle for this historic journey,” he said.
He added that the ADC would be transformed into a “fortress and platform of revived democracy,” governed by rule of law, internal democracy, and inclusivity.
“Here, the North shall hold hands with the South, the youth shall stand equally with elders, women with men, the farmer with the technocrat—not for the triumph of one party, but for the triumph of Nigeria,” he stated.
Mark said the coalition prioritises unity over division, action over excuses, and inclusion over nepotism.
‘Nigeria is in ICU’ – Nwosu
In his remarks, the outgoing ADC national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, said Nigeria is in the “intensive care unit (ICU),” but expressed confidence that the ADC would win the 2027 elections and “lift the country out of the ICU.”
“Lives are being lost. What solution has this government offered? We must take Nigeria from ICU to global relevance,” he said.
Nwosu charged the new leadership led by Mark to unite members and move away from tribal and micro-political sentiments.
“Nigeria is over 20% of Africa. If we collapse, Africa collapses,” he warned. “Millions are yearning for this coalition.”
He acknowledged that some actors had turned the movement into a money-making venture, but insisted the mission remained to transform the country.
Nwosu revealed that the coalition-building effort began 18 months ago and involved over 12 National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings and consultations with stakeholders, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Ibrahim Babangida, as well as other political leaders.
APC: ‘They’re no threat to us’
Reacting to the development, APC National Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the coalition’s adoption of the ADC as no threat to the ruling party.
In a telephone interview with Daily Trust, Ibrahim said the coalition consists of “analogue politicians” who are “not in tune with modern politics.”
“They can make waves, but not the kind that will shake the APC,” he said, adding that the party’s National Working Committee would review the participation of APC members in the coalition and take appropriate action.
Presidency: ‘Coalition dead on arrival’
Presidential spokesman, Dr Daniel Bwala, also dismissed the coalition in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, calling it “dead on arrival.”
Bwala, a former spokesman for Atiku and now Special Adviser to President Tinubu, mocked the coalition as an “association of wild goose chasers” made up of “internally displaced politicians.”
PDP threatens sanctions against members promoting coalition
The PDP has threatened disciplinary action against members who joined the ADC-backed coalition rather than work within the leading opposition party.
Speaking after the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) meeting in Abuja yesterday, acting National Chairman Ambassador Umar Damagum said no other party could offer what the PDP had given Nigeria.
“We’re drawing a line for those who de-market the party. We’ll watch and take appropriate actions at the right time,” Damagum said.
Flanked by NWC members, Damagum insisted the PDP remains united and will continue strengthening its structure ahead of 2027.
He also accused the APC of harassing and “buying off” PDP members, but said Nigerians would reject the ruling party in the next election.
“The 2027 election is between Nigerians and the APC,” he said. “Hunger, insecurity, and arbitrary extortion are overwhelming. We deserve to be heard. Policies should be people-oriented, not for a few.”
Roll call at coalition unveiling
Among the notable figures at the unveiling were: Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Celestine Omehia (Rivers), Abdulfatai Ahmed (Kwara), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa), and Captain Idris Wada (Kogi).
Others are former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun; former PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; former Deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha;Senators Ireti Kingibe (FCT), Tony Nwoye (Anambra North), Victor Umeh (Anambra Central), Enyinnaya Abaribe (Abia North); former ministers Solomon Dalung (Youth and Sports), Abubakar Malami (Justice), Aminu Wali (Foreign Affairs), Ina Ciroma (Women Affairs), Bolaji Abdullahi (Youth), who was unveiled as the new national publicity secretary of the ADC; former governors and military administrators including Oserheimen Osunbor, Tunde Ogbeha; and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal.
Also at the meeting were some 2023 governorship candidates: Mustapha Sule Lamido (Jigawa, PDP), Sadiq Abubakar (Bauchi, APC), Senator A’isha Binani (Adamawa, APC), Senator Abubakar Gada (Sokoto, SDP); former IGP MD Abubakar; and former Tinubu ally, Kashim Imam.
Amaechi, Malami resign APC membership
Meanwhile, beyond the announcement by Senator Mark confirming his resignation from the PDP before his emergence as interim national chairman of the ADC, other prominent leaders in the newly unveiled opposition coalition have also cut ties with their former political party.
Among them are former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), who both announced their resignation from the ruling APC to focus on the ADC’s mission of taking over power in 2027.
Amaechi, speaking in Abuja on Wednesday after the unveiling of the ADC’s interim leadership, said Nigeria was “completely destroyed” and required a total overhaul, not just a routine change of government. He accused the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of colluding to hijack upcoming elections, saying the current administration had failed Nigerians.
According to him, the economic conditions under the APC government had deteriorated to the point where many Nigerians could no longer afford food due to hyperinflation. “Inflation is at its peak,” he said. “People can’t eat. People can’t buy food. There’s no money to buy food. Everything is gone.”
Amaechi said he resigned from the APC on Tuesday night, stating that he had for some time distanced himself from party affairs. “I left APC last night. I never attended one meeting. The last time they invited me, I warned them. I said, if you invite me to any meeting again… In fact, I was surprised I wasn’t expelled. I warned them in writing—don’t even invite me to any meeting. You can’t be in a club where the majority of people are stealing and you don’t say anything,” he said.
Asked why he was not supporting the government of which he was once a part of, Amaechi replied that the issue was not about merely changing the government, but about changing Nigeria itself. “No, it’s not about changing the government. If it was just about that, there would be no need. It’s about changing Nigeria. What must happen here is that we must start not just a party but a movement—a movement that brings Nigerians together to take over the government, not for us, but for themselves.”
When reminded that he served in the APC for several years, Amaechi maintained that he had never believed Tinubu was fit to govern Nigeria. “I have never believed that Tinubu is material to govern the country. I never have. Now people want (Muhammadu) Buhari to come back. What happens in Nigeria is that each new government ends up being worse than the last, and people begin to long for the previous one. People are asking for Buhari now because things were better under his administration.”
He pointed to the collapse of the naira as an example of economic failure. “The dollar was about N460 or N500 under Buhari. Now it’s N1,580—that’s more than a 100 percent increase,” he said.
Asked whether the foreign exchange crisis might be part of a deliberate government policy, Amaechi replied, “Whether it’s a deliberate government policy or not, any government that doesn’t consider the wellbeing of its people cannot call it a policy”.
Responding to claims that he might be overambitious, Amaechi simply said, “I have the right to be ambitious. I am not overambitious.”
On his part, Abubakar Malami, in a statement issued Wednesday, said his decision to quit the APC and join the ADC followed “wide consultations and deep personal reflection.” He described the ADC as the most viable platform for a coalition genuinely committed to saving Nigeria from collapse.
“This is not a decision made out of anger or ambition, but one inspired by love for our nation and concern for the hardship our people are facing daily,” Malami stated.
He lamented the current state of the country, warning that Nigeria is “bleeding” under the present administration. “Insecurity has taken over our homes, especially in the North,” he said. “Banditry, kidnappings, and terrorism have become part of our daily lives while the government prioritises politics over the safety of its citizens.”
Malami also expressed concern over the worsening economy, noting that the prices of basic food items had tripled and that many young Nigerians were now hopeless about their future. “Our economy is in shambles. The poor can no longer feed their families. Jobs are disappearing,” he said. “Instead of focusing on real solutions, the government is consumed by propaganda and political distractions.”
He said he could no longer, in good conscience, remain part of a system that had grown indifferent to the suffering of Nigerians. According to him, the ADC represents a platform rooted in justice, inclusion, competence and national renewal.
He assured his supporters in Kebbi State that he would continue to serve them faithfully. “To the people of Kebbi State, I remain your son and servant. I will never abandon you,” he said. “This move is to amplify your voice, protect your interests, and restore hope to our future.”
Malami called on Nigerians across party lines to rally behind the ADC-led coalition to “reclaim the nation” and set the country back on a path to peace, prosperity, and justice.
When contacted on whether former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had also dumped the PDP for the ADC after wearing the party’s face cap at Wednesday’s event, his spokesman, Paul Ibe, simply said, “One step at a time.”
