2027: El- Rufai, Obi may dump ADC over Atiku’s ambition

There are growing indications that all is not well with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as many of the original promoters are beginning to develop cold feet, which may affect the party’s ability to make an impact in 2027.

…Obidients

At the centre of the disagreement is the plan by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to run for the 2027 presidential election on the ticket of the party.

BusinessDay reliably gathered that key figures in the party, including Nasir El-Rufai, are not comfortable with Atiku Abubakar’s insistence on running for president in 2027 on the party’s platform.

It was further gathered that El-Rufai, who championed a southern presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has continued to insist that the presidency must remain in the South until 2031.

But Atiku’s ambition has continuedu to weaken the party as a coalition platform.

Many are now seeing his membership of the ADC as solely to pursue his personal ambition of actualising his 2027 presidential ambition.

It was not immediately clear who Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna State governor, is backing for the 2027 presidential election, but it was gathered from sources close to the party that he has made it clear that he will only back a candidate from the South for the 2027 presidential election.

So far, Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State governor, and Peter Obi, the Labour Party LP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, are the aspirants from the South who have indicated their interests in the 2027 presidency.

A member of the party’s interim management team, who spoke to BusinessDay in Abuja on condition of anonymity, lamented that the “ambition of the former vice president may weaken the party, unless he agrees to back down.”

“Yes, everybody is enthusiastic about the new coalition and the opportunity it will give Nigerians to elect leaders of their choice in 2027, but the plans by Atiku Abubakar to contest may ruin our chances,” the source said.

“As you know, Nasir El-Rufai insisted and made way for the emergence of President Bola Tinubu in 2023. As we speak, he has continued to maintain that position and will only back a southern candidate in 2027.”

The ADC official however said that the party will not stop the former vice president from contesting, noting that “the party will give everyone a level-playing field.”