With the 2027 general elections drawing closer, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition is reportedly shaping the internal structure of the African Democratic Congress while Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, is said to be struggling for influence.

Insiders within the ADC, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, alleged that Atiku financed efforts to take control of the party as a platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

A party source disclosed that most of the ADC’s state chapters, zonal bodies, and even its national leadership were now largely aligned with Atiku.

However, ADC interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, refuted claims that Atiku had taken over the coalition.

He insisted that the group remained united in its objective to dislodge Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in the next election.

In contrast, APC’s Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, dismissed the coalition, claiming it lacked the strength to defeat the ruling party.

Key figures within the ADC coalition, including 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Obi and former APC presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, have openly expressed interest in contesting the 2027 presidential election against President Tinubu.

PDP 2023 presidential candidate and ex-Vice President Atiku also hinted at launching another bid for the Presidency.

Recall that on July 3, ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, accused the David Mark-led interim ADC leadership of plotting Atiku candidacy.

Recently, on August 4, a leaked memo from the Obidient Movement to Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, raised concerns about the alleged sidelining of its members fromADC’s major decision-making processes.

In a document dated July 29, 2025, and signed by the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Tanko Yunusa, Obi’s group accused the coalition of marginalising its members despite their pivotal role in strengthening the political bloc.

The memo obtained by our correspondent read, “We write on behalf of the Obidient Movement to express our severe grievances regarding recent developments within the coalition’s systems.

“Our people are deliberately excluded at all levels. While we remain committed to the shared vision of building a united and formidable front for the task ahead, we must raise the following issues that our members have repeatedly flagged.”

Listing their grievances, Tanko cited lack of inclusion in major deliberations.

“Several of our designated representatives and members are reportedly being excluded from crucial meetings where major decisions affecting the coalition are made.

“This creates an impression of marginalisation and undermines trust, which is essential for building a sustainable partnership,” he lamented.

When asked whether Obi’s loyalists were now being included, Yunusa described the situation as a work in progress.

In an exclusive interview with The PUNCH, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement stated that Obi would make a decision on whether to join the ADC at the right time, stressing that he is not struggling for relevance within the coalition setup.

He stated, “Obi is not struggling for relevance. As for vardy his loyalists along in the ADC, these are works in progress. It’s a work in progress.

On whether Obi will join ADC or not, he stated, “His Excellency Peter Obi has said that he’s joining the coalition for the 2027 general election. At the moment, he’s made it clear that he’s a member of the Labour Party. So, when that time comes, he will take his decision.”

A trusted insider within the ADC coalition disclosed that allies of Atiku who joined the party early have effectively seized control of the coalition.

He stated, “Over 70 per cent of the entire structure of the ADC has already been taken over by Atiku’s camp, largely because they joined the party early and have more resources.

“Members of key organs of the party, the NWC, Board of Trustees, state chapters, and others that will play a critical role in determining who becomes the party’s candidate in the next election are largely loyal to Atiku.

“In fact, in some states where the chairmen have refused to cooperate with Atiku’s group, there are ongoing efforts to forcefully implement leadership changes. These moves are aimed at ensuring that party decisions favour Atiku.

“As far as the ADC is concerned, Atiku is in charge, and many of his loyalists have taken over the structure ahead of his declaration or directive, as the case may be. Though Obi is still part of the coalition, he is struggling to catch up with Atiku’s moves.”

Another source said the situation did not come as a surprise, as Atiku funded the larger part of taking over of ADC.

He stated, “From day one of the coalition, Atiku’s camp was ahead in the game. In fact, they made a huge amount of dollars available to persuade some ADC members to step aside and make way for the coalition leaders.

“So, it’s not surprising. That was the plan, and that is exactly what’s happening, they’ve taken over the structure. Atiku wouldn’t spend such massive resources and then fold his arms. Beyond the money, many of his loyalists and even strategists have joined the ADC. He’s clearly doing this for himself.

“If Atiku is not contesting — but I believe he will — he will still determine whatever happens within the ADC coalition. So, while Obi, Amaechi, and others are part of the ADC, they appear to be working for Atiku, directly or indirectly.

“Look at the Mark-led NWC, Obi only nominated the National Organising Secretary in the National Working Committee out of over 25 members of the NWC.”

In response to our correspondent’s inquiry about whether Atiku has taken control of the NWC and other ADC structures, Abdullahi maintained that the ADC and its coalition partners remained united in their commitment to rescue Nigeria from President Tinubu and the APC.

The ADC interim National Publicity Secretary, in an exclusive interview with The PUNCH assured that all aspirants would be given a level playing field and that the party was committed to a transparent process.

He stated, “All stakeholders are carried along in the ADC activities. The party is not loyal to anybody and has not been taken over by anyone. The National Organizing Secretary was nominated by Peter Obi. This is the most powerful party position. So, every stakeholder is carried along.

“So, the structure of ADC, from the NWC to other structures, does not belong to Atiku or anyone. We are working alongside all our stakeholders equally to unseat President Tinubu in 2027.

“The ADC as a coalition platform is beyond 2027. We are united to rescue Nigerians from Tinubu’s APC and bring about good governance. So no division anywhere.

“There’s nothing to manage in their (Atiku, Obi and Amaechi) ambitions. Everybody has the right to express their interest in any of those. But for us, at the level we are, we are not having that conversation at all.

“The only thing we can say is that we are going to provide a level playing field for everybody who has an ambition to pursue.

We don’t have any preferred candidates or aspirants. We are going to ensure that we deliver transparently. So, there’s nothing to manage.

“As long as the system is clear to everyone, we are sure that’s the best possible guarantee that we are able to hold everything together.”

In a related development, Chairman, ADC Board of Trustees, Ibrahim Mani, stated that the coalition party had no problem with members’ political ambitions.

In an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Mani stated, “There is no division among us, the leaders of the 2027 opposition coalition platform, ADC. There is concern about these ambitions for now. I don’t blame those who are concerned.

“Most Nigerians are concerned because the current government in power, that has spent barely two years in office, has started campaigning already. By default, the APC government has set the country into almost an electoral mode, which is uncalled for. They ought to be addressing important issues like insecurity, economy, infrastructure, and others, but they are focused on politics. So many people are looking at ADC from that perspective.

“We are not there yet. We know that the time will come, and when we get to the bridge, we will cross it. At the moment, we are concerned about accommodating millions of Nigerians that are trooping into the party from all parts of the country for the world-based movement.

“For us, that is key, that is important. It is more important than anybody’s ambition, and that is why we are not talking about candidateture at the moment.

“We are more concerned about building a party that will form the face of the opposition, that will challenge the inactions of the government at the moment, and face the election as and when due.

“So I want to assure everybody that we have no issue with anybody’s ambitions because there are no such ambitions expressed yet.”

Reacting, the APC, through its Director of Publicity, stated that the opposition has a legitimate right to challenge the ruling party but lacks the necessary capacity to remove it from power.

In an exclusive interview Abdullahi said the internal divisions within the ADC confirm that the coalition is a union of incompatible interests, from which nothing good can emerge.

He stated, “To challenge our party come 2027 is legitimate. They have the right to do so. But the question is whether they have the capacity to oust us from power. And I tell you, they don’t have it.

“The division among them is a justification or vindication of what we have been saying all along — that this coalition is a marriage of strange bedfellows.

“It is a coalition of confusion. They don’t have unity of purpose, other than anger. And you cannot use anger you cannot rely on anger to change the government.

“You have to have unity of purpose, and that unity of purpose must be rallied around patriotism, the zeal to improve or add value to nationhood, which they don’t have.

Well, something will come out of it, but nothing good will come out of it. They are destined for doom. It is a project that is dead on arrival.”

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