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Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has acknowledged growing concerns over the potential presidential ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general election.
Speaking on Arise TV’s The Morning Show on Friday, December 12, Abdullahi described the situation as a challenge for the party but cautioned against framing the Atiku-Obi dynamic as the greatest threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms to say that it is the greatest threat to democracy at the moment. But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes,” he said.
Abdullahi explained that while the issue is important, the ADC’s immediate priority is strengthening its internal structures and building the capacity to compete effectively in 2027. Discussions about the party’s presidential candidate have not yet begun.
“Nobody in ADC at this time is having a conversation about who the presidential candidates will be,” he said, noting that the party is focused on consolidating its presence in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“We have so much work to do, to establish our presence, to be in a position to contest elections in all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. So, this has preoccupied us. But we know that is an issue we have to deal with,” Abdullahi added.
On how the party plans to select its presidential candidate, Abdullahi said a consensus approach may be adopted, but if consensus is not possible, the contest would be opened to all interested aspirants.
“The most important thing at this time is, when we get to that point, we’ll try to engineer a consensus, which is an option for us. But if we are not able to reach a consensus, then we’ll possibly just open it up for everyone to contest. And it’s not just about Atiku and Peter Obi,” he said.
He emphasized that interest in the ADC’s presidential ticket extends beyond the two prominent figures. “There are other people who are also interested in contesting the presidential race. We have to make allowance that it’s not a settled case between just Atiku and Peter Obi,” Abdullahi stated.
He also revealed that the ADC is engaged in talks with other political parties as part of efforts to build a broader coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
