The African Democratic Congress has warned that rigid loyalty to individual presidential aspirants, particularly the “Obi or nothing” stance, could weaken the party’s chances in the 2027 general election.
Speaking during the ADC Coalition Hours held virtually on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bola Abdullahi, cautioned supporters against divisive campaigning, urging them to rally behind the party rather than any single aspirant.
Abdullahi said such inflexible attitudes risk undermining unity within the opposition coalition that adopted the ADC as its platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
Since emerging as the coalition vehicle in July 2025, the party has been working to strengthen its national structures under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary.
Several high-profile politicians have since declared interest in the ADC presidential ticket, including former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi.
More aspirants are also expected to join the race in the coming weeks.
The growing field has triggered debates among supporters over zoning and ticket allocation, with some Obi supporters advocating a southern ticket, while others aligned with Atiku have pushed for an open contest.
Abdullahi disclosed that he had engaged key coalition figures, including Atiku, Obi, Amaechi and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, to stress the need for unity and collective focus.
According to him, all party leaders agree that winning the election should take priority over individual ambitions.
He also addressed concerns about the timing of the 2027 election, noting that while early elections might benefit the opposition due to public dissatisfaction with the current administration, the party would prefer more time to heal divisions that could arise from its primaries.
Abdullahi warned that supporters promoting a “must-be-my-candidate” mindset were inadvertently working in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
He said securing the party’s ticket alone was meaningless without broad-based support across regions, adding that divisive rhetoric could alienate potential allies and voters.
The ADC spokesperson assured that the party would intensify efforts to promote cohesion and ensure its leaders speak with one voice ahead of the elections.
He stressed that all aspirants were qualified and that attacking individuals or regions would only weaken the party’s prospects, insisting that unity remained the key to electoral victory in 2027.
