The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns about the political relationship between former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, as early maneuvering for the 2027 general elections intensifies.
Speaking in an interview on Arise Television’s The Morning Show on Friday, ADC spokesperson Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi described the unresolved dynamic between the two opposition figures as a challenge with potential implications for the wider political landscape.
He said, “I may not describe the situation in superlative terms to say it is the greatest threat to democracy. But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes.”
Abdullahi emphasized that, while the matter has drawn significant public attention, ADC’s current focus is on strengthening its organizational structure nationwide rather than engaging in discussions about presidential candidates.
“Nobody in ADC at this time is having a conversation about who the presidential candidates will be. We have so much work to do to establish our presence and contest elections in all 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. This has preoccupied us,” he said.
According to Abdullahi, ADC is considering various approaches to selecting its 2027 presidential flagbearer.
This includes the possibility of a consensus arrangement among aspirants.
If consensus cannot be reached, the party plans to open the contest to all interested candidates.
“The most important thing is, when we get to that point, we’ll try to engineer a consensus. But if we are not able to reach one, we’ll open it up for everyone to contest. And it’s not just about Atiku and Peter Obi; there are other people interested in the presidential race,” he explained.
He further revealed that ADC is engaging in ongoing discussions with other political parties as part of efforts to form a broader coalition ahead of the elections.
