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.

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 continued 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.”

Datti’s move

BusinessDay gathered that the development in the ADC led to the recent move by Ahmed Datti, the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in 2023, to move back to his party.

Katch Ononuju, a member of the ADC, told BusinessDay that the move is geared towards ensuring the beginning of a new peace process in the Labour Party for Peter Obi’s presidential ambition in 2027.

“It is now getting clearer that Atiku Abubakar’s inordinate ambitions will make it impossible for the emergence of a southern candidate on the platform of the ADC in the 2027 presidential election.

“This was exactly what played out in 2023 that led the Obidient group in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to abandon the party for the Labour Party in 2023.”

Ononuju, who is the director-general of The Heritage Center, Abuja, alleged that the alliance between David Mark and Atiku Abubakar dated back to the 1993 presidential election.

“In 2013, the coalition was between the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), the Action Congress of Nigeria (CAN) and the New PDP (nPDP), led by the late President Muhammadu Buhari, current President Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar respectively. This time around, they have moved into the ADC.”

He confirmed that El-Rufai remains resolute on ADC producing a southern presidential candidate in 2027.

“But he is the lone voice in the team. We must commend him for standing firm on this. Remember that since 2023, he has always maintained that position and I don’t see him remaining there if they insist on having a northern presidential candidate for the party,” he said.

He insisted that Ahmed Datti has the backing of Peter Obi and the Obidient movement to strengthen the peace process in the Labour Party.

According to him, “It is part of the plans to secure a credible platform for the actualisation of Peter Obi’s presidential ambition in 2027.”

John Enemari, leading Benue politician and chairman of the state branch of the Action Alliance (AA), blamed ‘greed and selfishness’ for the inability of the political class to form a united front against the ruling APC.

According to him, “Unless the ADC leaders unite and collapse individual ambitions and forge a common front against the APC, Nigeria cannot expect much from them.”

On the possibility of the coalition taking over power from the ruling APC in 2027, Enemari noted that, “it is possible on the condition that they are honest to themselves, ready to avoid greedy and selfish politicians.”

He cited a similar coalition in 2013 and noted that it was the decision to bring a credible candidate that ensured the APC’s success in 2015.

“They must put greed aside and stop the current selfish approach to gain power. The executive members of the party must also refuse to sell out and give tickets to the highest bidders.

“If you throw the race open like that, some regions will never get the opportunity to produce the president of Nigeria because the so-called majority will always hijack the process and outcome.”

He also cited the case of the Idomas in Benue state, adding that despite having nine out of the 23 local governments, they have not been allowed to produce a governor in the state.

“They should discourage the act of giving the ticket to the highest bidders.”

Obiora Ifoh, national publicity secretary of the Labour Party, while speaking with BusinessDay on the latest developments in the party, said the party remains open to Peter Obi but added that “he cannot get an automatic ticket.”

“Yes, Ahmed Datti was our vice-presidential candidate in 2023 and the meeting he attended was a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting and as the former vice-presidential candidate of the party, we welcomed him.

“He said he was at the meeting to make peace. So, we believe that he was genuinely sincere and interested in the peace process.”

Obiora noted that the Obidient group has remained an integral part of the Labour Party

“The Obidient is a group of people that believes that Nigeria must change for the better. They have their own mindset and are interested in shaping a better future for the country. They do not reside in only one party. They can be found in the LP, APC, PDP and all the major groups in Nigeria. The Obidients exist in all these parties.

“We will allow Peter Obi to contest just like any other person who is interested in contesting for the presidential ticket. It is not going to be an automatic ticket for Peter Obi.

“We are putting our house in order, the party is moving on,” he added. (BusinessDay)