Temitayo Olumofe
In the bustling streets of Abuja, the air is thick with anticipation and anxiety. For many Nigerians, politics is not just a distant game played by elites in glass offices—it is the heartbeat of daily life, shaping everything from the price of bread to the hope of tomorrow.
In July 2025, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), once a smaller voice in Nigeria’s crowded political choir, suddenly found itself thrust into the spotlight. The party’s adoption as the main platform for a new opposition coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has sparked excitement, confusion, and fierce debate. As one elderly trader in Gombe put it, “We want change, but whose change will it be?”
This is the story of the ADC’s struggle for political identity, a tale of ambition, internal rifts, regional loyalties, and the complex dance of coalition politics in Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
The ADC’s sudden rise as the face of the opposition coalition did not come without a price. On July 2nd, 2025, a faction within the party—calling themselves the “Concerned Stakeholders of the ADC” publicly rejected the adoption of the party by the coalition. In a strongly worded statement, the group’s national publicity secretary, Musa Isa Matara, declared:
“The ADC is not a private coalition platform for political merchants or elite dealmakers. The party belongs to its members, and we must preserve its sovereignty and democratic principles.”
Their anger was rooted in what they described as a lack of transparency and consultation. According to Matara, key party organs, state executives, youth and women leaders, and ward coordinators—were left out of the decision-making process. The dissenting faction accused the top leadership of “selling out” the party, warning that the move risked turning the ADC into a mere tool for powerful outsiders.
The internal crisis deepened on July 7, 2025, when the ADC’s long-serving National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, resigned to make way for former Senate President David Mark as interim chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as interim secretary. This leadership change, announced with much fanfare at a high-profile meeting in Abuja, was attended by Atiku Abubakar, David Mark, Peter Obi and other political heavyweights.
But the process immediately drew criticism for violating the party’s constitution. Article 23, Clause 4 of the ADC Constitution states that any vacancy in party office should be filled by a replacement from the same zone or constituency, and only after proper executive committee meetings. There was no such meeting, and the new interim leaders had not spent the required two years in the party before taking up executive roles.
Ralph Nwosu himself admitted, “During the October 12, 2022 convention, the ADC adopted a key clause requiring new members to spend at least two years in the party before they could contest elections or hold office.”
The dissenting faction also pointed to ongoing legal challenges from the 2023 elections as further evidence that the coalition’s adoption was illegitimate. They demanded a constitutionally-backed national convention to address leadership changes and ensure the party’s integrity.
Meanwhile, ADC spokesperson Nkem Ukandu tried to downplay the discord, insisting, “The party remains united.”
The question of who will emerge as the ADC’s presidential candidate in 2027 looms large. The coalition is a who’s who of Nigerian politics: Atiku Abubakar from the North-East, Peter Obi from the South-East, Nasir El-Rufai from the North-West, David Mark from the North Central, Rauf Aregbesola from the South-West, and Rotimi Amaechi from the South-South.
Political analysts believe Atiku is likely to make a fifth bid for the presidency, with Obi as his running mate. “If you look at what Atiku and Obi did in the last election, it’s clear that if they’d worked together, they could have won,” said analyst Ben Kenneth. “So it’s a good thing they have realized they need each other.”
But not everyone agrees. Sani Hamisu, another analyst, argued, “When a leader is in office seeking a second term, he hardly loses; it is very rare. That’s why I feel Tinubu has a better chance than when he wasn’t in office in 2019.”
Regional loyalties are proving to be a double-edged sword. The ADC’s new coalition is diverse, but its unity is fragile. Atiku’s influence in Adamawa and the North-East remains strong, while Obi’s popularity in Anambra and the South-East is rooted in his 2023 campaign. In the North-West, the ADC faces stiff competition from the APC and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), especially in Kano.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a coalition member, was blunt about the regional arithmetic:
“My strategy this time around is that I am going to support a northerner in 2027. It must be a northerner that the whole north is willing to support. If the whole north is willing to support an Atiku, why not? If the whole north is willing to support a Tambuwal, why not?”
His warning was clear: If the ADC presents a southern candidate like Peter Obi, President Tinubu is likely to win again.
Despite its new star power, the ADC still lacks the APC’s deep grassroots network. The party’s current momentum relies heavily on the regional popularity of its leaders. As one report noted:
“The ADC, despite having no governors, is gaining ground and could be competitive in 10 to 12 states, including Adamawa, where Atiku holds sway, Imo and Enugu, where Obi maintains influence, and Rivers, where Amaechi’s legacy as a former governor gives the party a foothold.”
But internal disagreements and a weak organizational structure could limit the ADC’s ability to mount a unified national challenge. To quell fears of internal bias and favoritism, interim chairman David Mark declared on July 9, 2025:
“There is no discussion about the question of the presidential candidate in the coalition up to this moment. Whoever will be the candidate of the ADC must win the primary. It’s the first test of whether those aspiring are, in the first place, democrats or not.”
Mallam Salihu Lukman, another coalition leader, emphasized that the selection process would “factor all and ensure that the issue of equity was properly taken care of and addressed in a way that Nigerians would see there was a new party, which respected the interests of every party member and accommodated everyone.”
Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate, also addressed the elephant in the room—working with “old, failed politicians.” He explained:
“Although some members of the opposition coalition were old and ‘failed’ politicians, I would work with them in the 2027 election because of their vast experience in governance.”
The ADC’s transformation from a minor party to the centerpiece of Nigeria’s opposition coalition is both a symbol of hope and a warning. The party’s struggle for political identity—marked by internal divisions, leadership disputes, and regional rivalries—mirrors the broader challenges of coalition politics in Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
As the 2027 elections approach, the ADC and its coalition partners face a daunting task: to unite a diverse nation, overcome their internal rifts, and present a credible alternative to the ruling APC. Whether they succeed or fail will not only shape their future, but also the future of Nigerian democracy itself.
For ordinary Nigerians, the stakes could not be higher. As one young voter in Lagos said, “We are tired of promises. We want leaders who will listen, not just to their friends, but to all of us.” Only time will tell if the ADC coalition can rise to that challenge.