Leaders of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) have disclosed that their recent meeting with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was focused on exploring collaboration to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and opposition alternatives ahead of the 2027 elections.
The ADP National Chairman, Yabagi Sani, along with another party official who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the engagement with Atiku in Abuja on February 1 was part of broader consultations to ensure a credible multi-party system and to safeguard democratic pluralism.
“The meeting was largely about strengthening democracy and protecting democratic pluralism, ensuring that Nigeria’s multi-party system is sustained and that opposition parties have the stability needed to function effectively,” Sani said.
“The focus is on creating an environment where opposition groups feel reinforced and encouraged, especially amid concerns that the ruling APC is attempting to weaken and discourage opposition participation.”
The ADP officials noted that the discussions are not limited to Atiku alone but extend to other opposition stakeholders, youth organisations, and civic platforms such as the National Youth Alliance.
“Part of the strategy under discussion includes developing a ‘Plan B’ — ensuring that if one platform faces disqualification, litigation, or technical challenges, alternative platforms remain viable so the broader opposition movement is not derailed,” Sani added.
The party emphasised that the goal is to provide meaningful alternatives to APC, strengthen democratic competition, and offer opposition leaders viable platforms to challenge the ruling party effectively.
“We are engaging with leaders beyond Atiku to see how we can create more options for opposition leaders and like-minded individuals who are willing to come together to rescue the country from the All Progressives Congress,” another ADP official said.
“The conversation is centred on democracy, how to sustain it, how to develop the country, and how to address the issues affecting our nation. That is simply the essence of it,” he concluded.
