The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has expressed concern over the failure of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, to work together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party said while the situation may not yet pose a serious danger to Nigeria’s democracy, it remains a challenge that cannot be ignored, especially for opposition parties seeking to present a strong alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The ADC’s position was made known on Friday by its spokesperson, Mr. Bolaji Abdullahi, during an interview on The Morning Show, a programme on Arise Television. He spoke in response to questions about the absence of visible cooperation between Atiku and Obi, two major opposition figures who together control a large support base across the country.
“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms to say that it’s the greatest threat to democracy at the moment,” Abdullahi said. “But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes.”
Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi were the leading opposition candidates in the 2023 presidential election. Atiku contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Obi ran under the Labour Party (LP). Both candidates lost to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, but together they secured millions of votes nationwide.
Since the election, many Nigerians, especially opposition supporters, have called for unity among opposition leaders to improve their chances in 2027. There have been expectations that Atiku and Obi could form an alliance or support a common platform to challenge the ruling party.
The ADC has emerged as one of the parties being discussed as a possible rallying point for such an opposition coalition. This has raised public interest in the relationship between Atiku and Obi and their level of commitment to working together.
Despite these expectations, Abdullahi said the ADC is not currently focused on discussions about who will emerge as its presidential candidate in 2027. Instead, he said the party is concentrating on building strong structures across the country.
“Nobody in the ADC at this time is having conversations about who the presidential candidates will be,” he said. “We have so much work to do — to establish our real presence and be in a position to contest elections in all 36 states and the FCT.”
He explained that the party’s priority is to strengthen its grassroots presence and ensure it is well-positioned to compete effectively in future elections, not only at the presidential level but also in governorship, legislative and local government contests.
According to him, the issue of Atiku and Obi working together is only one part of a broader political picture.
“We have also tried to maintain that it’s not just about Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi,” Abdullahi said. “Nobody in the ADC at this time is discussing who the presidential candidates will be.”
Abdullahi said when the time comes for the ADC to choose its flag-bearer, the party will explore the option of consensus. However, he added that if consensus is not possible, the party may allow an open contest where all interested aspirants can compete fairly.
“The most important thing is that at this time, when we get to that point, we try to engineer a consensus,” he said. “But if we are not able to reach a consensus, then we’ll possibly just open it up for everyone to contest.”
He also made it clear that the ADC is aware that more than two people may be interested in contesting the presidency on its platform.
“And it’s not just about Atiku and Peter Obi; there are other people who are also interested in contesting the presidential race,” he said. “So, we have to make allowance for that.”
The ADC spokesperson revealed that the party is also in talks with figures from other political parties as part of efforts to build a strong opposition coalition. He said the goal is to see what kind of partnership can produce a credible alternative in 2027.
“I agree with you; it’s an option,” he said, referring to the Obi–Atiku alliance. “But there are also other options that we are looking at, even within the other political parties that we are also having conversations about how to build a formidable coalition to see what is possible.”
This statement suggests that the ADC is keeping its options open and is not relying solely on the decisions of Atiku and Obi to shape its future plans.
Earlier this month, Peter Obi publicly expressed concerns about the ADC-led coalition talks. He said the coalition was facing challenges because it had not clearly addressed issues of zoning and the rotation of key political offices.
Zoning, which involves rotating major political positions among different regions of the country, has long been a sensitive issue in Nigerian politics. Many political actors believe it helps promote fairness and national balance, while others argue it limits the choice of candidates.
Obi’s comments suggested that unresolved zoning questions could weaken trust and slow down coalition-building efforts ahead of 2027.
Another issue drawing attention is the difference in the level of commitment shown by the two opposition figures to the ADC. While Atiku Abubakar has reportedly picked up his membership card and formally joined the party, Peter Obi has not yet registered as a member.
This development has fueled speculation about Obi’s political plans and whether he intends to fully align with the ADC or explore other options.
Reacting to this, Abdullahi had earlier urged Obi to make a clear decision, noting that the ADC is still at an early stage of its reorganisation and is not yet ready to adopt zoning as a guiding principle.
With more than two years to the next general elections, political parties are already positioning themselves for future contests. For the ADC, the focus remains on internal strengthening, coalition talks and building a national presence.
However, the party’s concerns about the lack of cooperation between Atiku and Obi highlight the broader challenge facing Nigeria’s opposition: how to unite diverse interests and ambitions into a single, strong political force.