Atiku–Obi’s challenge: How we will choose 2027 presidential candidate – ADC reveals

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has addressed concerns about the presidential bids of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general election.

During an interview on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, Abdullahi admitted the situation presents a challenge for the party but urged caution against labelling it the “greatest threat” to Nigeria’s democracy.

“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms as the greatest threat to democracy. But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes,” he stated.

ADC focuses on strengthening national structures

Abdullahi emphasised that the ADC’s priority remains consolidating its presence across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to prepare for a strong showing in the 2027 elections.

“Nobody in ADC at this time is focused on who the presidential candidates will be. Our main task is building our national structures and developing capacity to contest elections nationwide,” he said.

He noted that the party might nominate its 2027 presidential candidate by consensus. If consensus fails, the party plans to open the ticket to all aspirants, not just Atiku or Peter Obi.

“The most important thing is, when the time comes, we’ll aim for a consensus. But if we cannot reach one, we’ll open the race to all aspirants. There are other people interested in contesting the presidency, so it’s not only about Atiku and Peter Obi,” Abdullahi explained.

The ADC is also reportedly engaging other political parties to explore a stronger coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.