2027: Coalition Leaders Relocate To Regions, Begin Mobilisation

 The leaders of the coalition movement under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have begun their mobilisation drive in their regions.

LEADERSHIP Sunday checks revealed that the coalition leaders, namely, its interim national chairman, Senator David Mark, the national secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, returned to their states, Benue and Osun to galvanise their bases.

It was further gathered that as part of measures to firm up their bases, the coalition leaders had been assigned the task of overseeing the platform’s outreach in their geo-political zones. According to a source, who is close to the operation, Atiku would be in charge of the North East zone; David Mark would head the North Central zone, while El-Rufai would head the North West zone.

In the southern geopolitical zone, Obi would lead the Southeast zone, while Aregbesola would head the South-South zone and the South-West zone.

A source confirmed that while the former Senate president is in Benue State for the wedding of his granddaughter, “he is likely going to engage with leaders and sympathisers of the movement across the zone.”

On his part, Atiku met with some ADC leaders from Gombe State in Abuja led by former minister and Senator Idris Abdullahi in Abuja, late Friday.

A source told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the party leaders “returned to touch base with their regions and set the stage for a proper engagement party with the people.”
“Nigerians are already mobilising. The crowd at the gathering was organic. That is what is happening in the state,” he said.

Confirming the mobilisation drive in the regions, the national public secretary of the ADC, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the leaders were given two weeks after which they will return to Abuja for another meeting.

He said, “Our members and leaders have returned to the regions to galvanise the people, mobilise them, and talk to the people.

Our strengths are in the people, not in guns or thugs. The people are our strengths. After talking to them, they will return to Abuja in two weeks’ time.

“It is after that we will sit down, analyse their reports and other things will follow,” he said.
Other coalition leaders seen mobilising their bases in their states over the weekend were former minister of Police Affairs, Maina Waziri in Yobe State and former Imo Governor, Hon Emeka Ihedioha.

Can The Leaders Of The Coalition Deliver?

The unveiling of the ADC last Wednesday in Abuja as the coalition platform is reshaping Nigeria’s political space ahead of the 2027 general election.

ADC’s emergence has seemingly revived the opposition as former leading opposition parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party – are embroiled in protracted leadership crises.
The roll call at Wednesday’s event showed how intense the push to democratically remove President Bola Tinubu from office has become.

Prominent opposition politicians including ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar and a former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi were at the unveiling of the party in Abuja.

The duo ended second and third respectively in the last presidential election which Tinubu won with minority votes.

Other key political figures at the venue include former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Dino Melaye, former Minister of Youth and Sports Solomon Dalung, publisher and PDP chieftain Dele Momodu, former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola Senator Ireti Kingibe of the Labour Party and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha.

They hope to re-enact the 2013 opposition parties’ merger that birthed the APC through which it claimed power at the centre in 2015.

While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), FCT minister Nyesom Wike, Aviation minister Festus Keyamo, and former ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu have dismissed the ADC as lacking the gravitas to unseat Tinubu, the party’s interim chairman, Senator David Mark, insists the party is bent on rescuing the country from the APC government.

LEADERSHIP Sunday had exclusively reported that the coalition leaders had been assigned the task of overseeing the platform’s expansion in their geo-political zones as part of measures to firm up their bases.

According to a source close to the operations, Atiku would be in charge of the North East zone, David Mark would head the North Central zone, while El-Rufai would head the North West zone.
In the southern geopolitical zone, Obi would lead the South East zone, Amaechi will head the South-South zone while Aregbesola would head the South West zone.

The source, however, said the postings would be subject to further work and authorisation.
Most of the leaders have since visited their states. Aregbesola was received by his supporters in Lagos on Friday enroute to his state, Osun. It was also learnt that Mark visited his home state of Benue shortly after the unveiling.

Nevertheless, questions are being asked about the coalition’s ability to give the APC a tough fight ahead of 2027. This is in spite of the national appeal and experience that key leaders of the coalition have.
While some analysts acknowledge the household names of the coalition leaders, their influence, especially in their home states and regions, will be put to the test going into the make or mar election.