In a bold and potentially game-changing political move ahead of the 2027 general elections, leading opposition figures under the auspices of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), yesterday converged on the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja for a meeting.
The meeting, which comprised high-profile consultations and cross-party defections, have deepened speculation of a grand alliance to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC).
The event, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, was attended by several political heavyweights including the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi; former Kaduna State governor and now SDP chieftain, Nasir el-Rufa’i; and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi.
Also in attendance were former Senate President David Mark – who recently resigned from the PDP and was named interim national chairman of the ADC – and former Osun State governor Ra’uf Aregbesola, now serving as the ADC’s interim national secretary.
Other political actors present included: Senator Dino Melaye, former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung, publisher and PDP figure Dele Momodu, Senator Gabriel Suswam, Senator Ireti Kingibe, of the Labour Party, former Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, and former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar (rtd).
The coalition spans multiple parties—PDP, LP, SDP, and other political groups—and has adopted the ADC as a unified platform aimed at unseating the APC in 2027. The decision marks a significant shift in Nigeria’s political alignment, especially with multiple defections and re-alignments quietly taking place behind closed doors.
Amid the coalition’s meeting, fresh political undercurrents emerged, as Peter Obi held back-to-back private meetings with key northern politicians – first with former Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, at his Abuja residence, followed shortly after by a closed-door session with Nasir el-Rufa’i.
Though no official statements have been released from the meetings, sources close to the participants say discussions likely centered around strategic partnerships and the possibility of presenting a unified opposition front ahead of the 2027 elections.
Political watchers suggest that elements within the PDP are lobbying to lure Obi back into the party, possibly positioning him as a consensus presidential candidate. Obi, who left the PDP in 2022 to contest under the LP, has maintained significant national appeal and has publicly declared his intention to run for president in 2027.
While Obi remains a member of the Labour Party and has yet to formally decamp to the ADC, his active participation in the coalition’s meetings and his recent consultations suggest he is increasingly open to broader alliances.
El-Rufa’i, who had earlier defected from the APC to the SDP, has reportedly joined the ADC alongside other disenchanted opposition figures. Amaechi, once a major force within the APC, also appears to have thrown his weight behind the coalition.
The formation of the ADC-led coalition—bringing together disparate opposition elements under a single platform—is seen as one of the most serious efforts to date to consolidate opposition forces against the APC since 2015.
Observers note that the roles assigned to David Mark and Aregbesola are particularly symbolic, representing a blend of old-guard experience and reform-minded strategy, as the coalition eyes a broad-based national movement.
With the 2027 elections still over 18 months away, Nigeria’s political chessboard is already shifting. And if today’s events in Abuja are any indication, the race for Aso Rock may be more unpredictable than ever.
