Coalition has nothing to do with either Peter Obi or Atiku – ADC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed claims that its coalition talks are designed to favour former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or Mr. Peter Obi, insisting the focus is on national interest, not personalities.

Speaking on Tuesday, ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi said the coalition will not be built around any individual, no matter how popular.

“The coalition has nothing to do with either Peter Obi or Atiku. They are just members like many others. The focus is not on them. Of course, it is within anyone’s right to have political ambitions,” Abdullahi stated.

The clarification comes amid pressure from Obi’s supporters pushing for his adoption as consensus candidate ahead of 2027, citing his strong performance in the 2023 polls where he came third and captured urban youth votes. Atiku, who ran under the PDP and remains a six-time presidential aspirant, is also believed to be considering another shot.

But Abdullahi warned that turning the coalition into a personality-driven project would repeat mistakes that sank previous alliances.

“The party cannot align with one person and still call itself a party. That’s what happened to most of the other parties in the past. We don’t have a preferred candidate. When the time comes, members will decide democratically,” he said.

He stressed that the coalition’s immediate priority is strengthening structures, particularly in regions where the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is losing grip.

“All the people who were in APC and are not happy with how things are going are in this coalition now. The majority of our leaders are from the North. The North knows it doesn’t want this APC government to continue because of how they’ve been treated,” Abdullahi noted.

The ADC said it is currently serving as a home for disillusioned politicians and aims to position itself as a credible alternative to the APC and PDP ahead of the next general elections.

“No one is talking about a presidential candidate now. Our focus is on growing the party,” Abdullahi concluded.