The growing 2027 presidential ambitions of key political figures in the newly unveiled African Democratic Congress, ADC, are causing deepening divisions among supporters and stakeholders within the political coalition.
This is even as political maneuvers and behind-the-scenes consultations have ignited heated debates, especially on social media, among coalition supporters and intensified power struggles within the alliance.
Some watchers have also flagged the potential clash of ambitions among the contenders as a likely obstacle to the success of the coalition.
DAILY POST reports that with less than two years to the next general election, the ADC-led coalition faces an uphill battle, not just against the All Progressives Congress, APC, or the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but against internal disunity.
As it stands now, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi are the leading aspirants to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in 2027.
Though Atiku has not officially declared his intention to run, the duo of Obi and Amaechi have announced their interest to wrestle power from Tinubu.
Party insiders informed DAILY POST that factions are already being formed within the coalition, with some rooting for Atiku, the PDP’s 2023 presidential candidate; others pledging loyalty to Obi; and a third bloc leaning towards Amaechi, a former governor and ex-Minister of Transportation under the APC.
I’ll contest for presidency – Obi insists
Peter Obi on Monday doubled down on his position to contest for presidency in 2027.
Obi said he was qualified to become president, dismissing speculations that he will become Atiku’s running mate in 2027.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, he said: “I am going to contest for the president of Nigeria and I believe I am qualified.
“Nobody has discussed with me that I’m going to be A, B or C,” Obi added when asked whether he had discussed the possibility of being Atiku’s running mate in 2027.
I’ll serve only one term – Amaechi
Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State, has also expressed interest in seeking the ADC ticket for 2027.
He came second in the 2022 presidential primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
Amaechi promised to serve only one term in the spirit of fairness and adherence to unwritten zoning agreements.
“I won’t do more than four years,” he said.
Why Atiku should emerge as candidate – Momodu
Making case on why the presidential ticket of the ADC should be handed over to Atiku, veteran journalist, Dele Momodu, said Atiku has the number, insisting he poses a serious threat to President Tinubu ahead of the 2027 general election.
Momodu stated this during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday.
According to him, Atiku had been running his business, investing in education and agriculture, saying it is a good example of what a leader should be.
“I said the best choice would be my candidate. Which is what I expect the ‘Obidents’ to say, which I expect those who are supporting Rotimi Amaechi to say, there is nothing wrong with that.
“I’m looking at number one, the numbers. This game is a game of numbers. And the people who are most aggrieved today are from the northern part of Nigeria.
“He’s been running his business, investing in education, investing in agriculture. For me, this is a good example of what a leader should be.
“In Nigeria, you will never find a thug in front of Atiku’s house. For me, these are things that are presented by him, and it is my right to say those things. I’ve never asked anyone not to support Peter Obi. Obi is my very good friend today. If you ask me, one of the people that I believe should lead the coalition, it will be Obi.
“And as a Democrat, I’m appealing to them. I hope they will be able to do it democratically so that they will not say, Oh, they forced one person on them. Let us, let them all go to the fields. Let all Obidients campaign for Obi. Let all those for Atiku and Amaechi also campaign.
“So that is my belief, and I don’t think there is anything wrong with that. I’m happy that the coalition is fully ready and prepared,” Momodu said.
Amaechi has a chance – Eze
In a terse message to DAILY POST on Tuesday, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, a one-time National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New PDP and an ally of Rotimi Amaechi, said everyone should exercise little patience over the matter.
Eze expressed confidence that Amaechi has the chance of securing ADC’s presidential ticket, which he noted depends on how the delegates would vote.
He said: “Amaechi has the chance of securing the ticket depending on how the Presidential delegates of ADC decide and vote. Let us just wait and exercise a little patience in this regard.”
Obi better placed to emerge – Yunusa Tanko
Speaking to DAILY POST, Dr Yunusa Tanko, ex-spokesman and media director of the defunct Labour Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, said they believe Peter Obi’s candidature will unite the country.
Tanko, the Interim National Coordinator of Obidient Movement, stressed that from all their assessments, they had seen that Obi is in the best position to emerge as the ADC’s presidential candidate.
He said: “That’s what democracy entails. This is not a one man show. In democracy people have the right to show interest just as Peter Obi has the right to show interest.
“So it is the best that will emerge in this particular situation where we need someone from the south to run the remaining term of four years of the southern presidency, even though it is not constitutional, but it’s a regional arrangement for balancing and equity in the system.
“We believe that Obi’s candidature will be a unifying candidature that will unite this country.”
Tanko also dismissed the attacks being exchanged by different camps in the coalition.
According to him, it’s one way of trying to get the best out of the system.
“No, it will not. It’s just trying to get the best out of the system.
“So when people give reasons why a candidate is better than others, they are purely doing what democracy entails because out of these debates the best candidate will run for election. Unfortunately this doesn’t happen in other political parties.
“It’s not a secret cult. It’s somebody who will meet the people, who will have the capacity, who can debate, who can move from point A to B, who can show compassion, credibility, and show a lot of passion to make this country work.
“And that is the reason why from all our assessments we have seen that Mr Peter Obi fits that particular vacancy,” Tanko said.
“When we reach that bridge, we will cross it. At the moment now, we haven’t reached that particular bridge. We are so sure that by the grace of God Peter Obi will emerge and run for election come 2027,” he added when asked what happens if Obi fails to emerge as the coalition’s top candidate.
Supporters clash on social media
The growing division has spilled over into social media platforms, where supporters of the three political figures are engaging in verbal battles over who deserves to lead the proposed alliance.
Over the weekend, social media platforms were awash with debates as both leaders’ loyalists exchanged salvos in defence of their preferred candidates.
Pro-Obi groups have suggested that the coalition won’t achieve meaningful impact if it fails to name Obi as its candidate, while Atiku supporters argue that he remains the most experienced and widely accepted figure across regions.
Speaking to DAILY POST in an interview, a Public Affairs Analyst and Communication Scholar at Peaceland University, Enugu, Nduka Odo, said the supporters of the three top aspirants could be a blessing, as well as a curse to them.
Odo suggested that supporters of Mr Peter Obi might pose a different kind of threat to the coalition, noting that Obi is not in control of his supporters.
According to him, those supporting Atiku will only pose minimal challenges to the coalition.
Odo said: “The supporters of the three top aspirants can be a blessing as well as a curse to the aspirants. Parties are built not mainly by the political aspirants but by the citizens who buy into the ideologies and / or sensations of the leading proponents of the party.
“Currently, ADC is like an arranged marital union. The spouses are like strange bedfellows. Creating the union is where the ambitions of the fellows will be tested against their desires for a Nigeria different from the one led by Tinubu. This should not be hard for the aspirants as most of them have worked together in the recent past: Atiku with Obi in 2019 under PDP; El Rufai, Amaechi, and Atiku in 2015 under APC.
“Once they settle up there, supporters of most of the aspirants will easily fall along. Amarchi’s support base is currently weak compared to those of Obi and Atiku, who flew their party flags in 2023 and performed highly in the polls. So, supporters of Amaechi won’t post challenges to ADC.
“Supporters of Atiku, on the other hand, will pose minimal challenges. The nature of their challenge will be far different from that of Amaechi and Obi.
“Atiku’s support base are traditional politicians, mostly people who survive by being in the corridors of power. These persons will not be hard to convince to work for ADC. They will gladly work for the coalition, no matter who flies ADC tickets.
“They’ll do this as long as they’re well taken care of, in terms of instant benefits. They’ll only become a threat to ADC if the party fails to oil their palms. This group of supporters will not Bath eyelids before switching allegiance to APC.
“Supporters of Peter Obi will pose a different kind of threat to the coalition. Unlike most candidates, Obi is not in control of his supporters. It is more like his supporters are in control.
“The Obidients are an amorphous group of individuals, mostly young, who are dissatisfied with the old order of doing things in Nigeria. They want something different, and Obi happens to represent that something new and different, to a greater percentage.
“If ADC fails to field Peter Obi in 2027, ADC will lose the Obidients, and not even Obi himself can convince the Obidients to support another candidate.
“To me, this is the greatest opportunity and dilemma facing ADC.”
