The African Democratic Congress (ADC), a Nigerian opposition political party, has warned supporters of its presidential hopefuls that insisting on a “must-be-my-candidate” approach could weaken the party’s chances of winning Nigeria’s 2027 general election.
Bola Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, gave the warning during a virtual programme called ADC Coalition Hours on Saturday, 24 January 2026, urging party supporters to rally behind all aspirants and avoid actions that could create divisions.
The caution comes as the ADC positions itself as a coalition platform for opposition politicians seeking to challenge Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next national elections.
In July 2025, opposition figures adopted the ADC as a common platform, and the party has since been working to expand its structure across the country and build public confidence. The party is currently led by David Mark, a former President of the Nigerian Senate, as National Chairman, and Rauf Aregbesola, a former Governor of Osun State in south-west Nigeria, as National Secretary.
Since the coalition arrangement began, several high-profile politicians have joined the ADC and signalled interest in its presidential ticket. Rotimi Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region, joined in July 2025. Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President of Nigeria, followed in November 2025. Peter Obi, a former Governor of Anambra State and the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in Nigeria’s 2023 election, joined on Wednesday, 31 December 2025. Abdullahi also mentioned Nasir El-Rufai, a former Governor of Kaduna State in north-west Nigeria, as part of those engaged in the coalition discussions.
With multiple aspirants showing interest, supporters have taken different positions on how the party should pick its candidate. Many supporters of Obi have argued that the ticket should go to the southern part of Nigeria, while many supporters of Atiku have pushed for an open contest without zoning.
Abdullahi said he had held discussions with coalition stakeholders to stress unity and a shared focus on winning. “I spent time talking to His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi, who have indicated interest in vying for the presidential ticket of our party, as well as the likes of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, to strengthen our party and unite it,” he said, adding that the leaders agreed “we have a job to do to make this country a better place.”
He said the party’s leadership understands the scale of the task ahead and is determined to win. “Our leaders are all aware of the task ahead, and every one of them is committed to ensuring that we win this election,” he stated.
Abdullahi also spoke about election timing, saying an earlier election could create pressure for an opposition coalition that would need time to recover from internal disputes after primaries. He explained that if elections are held sooner, it could be “double work” and may leave little time for reconciliation. He said the party would prefer more time, while noting that an early vote could also benefit the opposition because many Nigerians are already unhappy with the current administration. However, he stressed that the opposition does not control election dates.
He warned that divisive behaviour by supporters would only help the ruling party. According to him, those promoting hostility among supporters of different aspirants “are clearly working to the advantage of the APC and President Bola Tinubu.”
Abdullahi said the party’s focus must go beyond simply winning the ticket. In his view, insisting on “either this candidate or nothing” damages the coalition’s broader goal. He said the ADC cannot afford to carry internal fights into the general election.
He added that the party would begin a process aimed at strengthening cohesion and encouraging ADC leaders to speak with one voice. He said all aspirants are qualified and that attacking individuals or regions would only make the challenge more difficult.
Abdullahi also criticised the “Peter Obi or nothing” slogan, arguing it does not help Obi’s ambition or the party’s unity. “Those shouting ‘Peter Obi or nothing’ are equally not helping him,” he said. He added that such messaging encourages division and makes it harder for people from other areas to feel included, urging supporters to stop pushing others into hard positions because broad support is needed to win.