Opposition Power Play: Atiku-Led Coalition Seizes ADC Amid Scathing Reactions from APC, PDP & LP

Disruption hit Nigeria’s political topography on July 2, 2025, as former VP Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Nasir El-Rufai, David Mark, and other luminaries formalized their alliance by taking over the African Democratic Congress (ADC). With Senator Mark as interim chair, the move sends a bold signal: opposition forces are uniting in earnest ahead of the 2027 polls.

APC fired back vehemently, with National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka condemning the takeover as “a roll call of Nigeria’s me‑or‑nothing politicians.” He lambasted the alliance as lacking policies or ideology, designed purely to regain access to power through “guile and subterfuge” .

PDP maintained visual tranquillity. As Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba clarified, “PDP has not taken any official position on the issue of coalition.” The party remains focused on internal unity and its upcoming National Executive Committee meeting and convention, emphasized Ologunagba. He stressed PDP’s ability to contest 2027 independently .

Peter Obi, the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, opted into the ADC coalition but remained non‑committal on full defection. Obi said collaboration is vital to challenge the APC in 2027, stressing that Nigeria’s challenges demand a united front. Though he welcomed the ADC vehicle, he held off issuing a formal call for others to defect.

Labour Party tensions bubbled. A faction led by Obiora Ifoh issued a 48‑hour ultimatum demanding Obi’s resignation from LP, labelling the coalition “recycled, desperate and frustrated politicians.” But another faction, under Nenadi Usman, dismissed the ultimatum, asserting Obi had the full backing of Party leadership .

Former PDP heavyweights—Wike, George, Amaechi—also weighed in. PDP BoT member Olabode George blasted Atiku and Mark for abandoning principle, calling their move opportunistic. FCT Minister Wike dismissed the new ADC leadership as “failed and expired politicians” lacking credibility to challenge President Tinubu in 2027 .

Atiku reiterated he hasn’t left PDP and is purposefully building a pan‑opposition coalition to oust APC in 2027. He urged unity across parties, warning that no single party can defeat APC alone. This echoes his long-standing strategy—coalition-building—first publicly floated in March 2025