…Party takes off amid deep cracks, power tussles
…As Kachikwu blasts ‘backdoor takeover’
…2027 lead ticket undecided
…You can’t build a new Nigeria with old looters — Sowore
By Sodiq Adelakun
The unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the platform for a new political coalition aimed at unseating President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 has sparked a wave of controversy, laying bare internal rifts and power struggles that threaten the credibility and cohesion of the alliance.
The formal announcement took place on Wednesday in Abuja, with former Senate President David Mark named as interim national chairman and ex-Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola as secretary.
The high-profile event drew the attendance of influential politicians, including Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, Peter Obi, and Chibuike Amaechi, all of whom have been linked to the newly launched opposition front.
Promoted as a strategic move to “rescue Nigeria’s democracy” and reverse what organisers describe as a drift towards authoritarianism, the coalition’s foundation appears already weakened by unresolved leadership disputes and conflicting ambitions.
The selection of the ADC as the political vehicle for the coalition has reignited old tensions within the party. The ADC remains factionalised, with several legal battles over its leadership still pending in court. Ralph Nwosu, whose tenure as national chairman officially ended in August 2022, claimed to have ceded control of the party to the coalition leaders. However, party insiders question the legitimacy of this handover.
“We reject this theatrical unveiling. You cannot use an expired mandate to mortgage the soul of a political party,” said ADC National Publicity Secretary, Musa Matara, voicing the concerns of aggrieved members.
…As Kachikwu blasts ‘backdoor takeover’
Dumebi Kachikwu, the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, issued a strong rebuke, dismissing the coalition as a thinly veiled hijack orchestrated by the political elite.
“This so-called coalition is a desperate backdoor attempt to seize control of the party,” Kachikwu stated. “The Atiku-led group has been sold a bad product by Ralph Nwosu, who lacks the authority to act on the party’s behalf.”
He accused the coalition’s leaders of hypocrisy and questioned their moral standing to lead a rescue mission, saying: “You cannot set Nigeria on fire and then parade yourself as its saviour. The people see through the deception.”
One of the most glaring challenges facing the coalition is the absence of an agreed presidential candidate. Though key figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai are rumoured to be eyeing the 2027 ticket, none has publicly stepped aside for another, creating what insiders describe as a “silent war of ambitions.”
“There is no consensus,” a source within the coalition revealed. “Each figure is positioning for their own interest. Once real negotiations begin, this coalition could fall apart.”
Observers warn that without a clear democratic process for selecting a candidate, the alliance risks being consumed by internal rivalry and suspicion.
…You can’t build a new Nigeria with old looters — Sowore
African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has distanced himself from the coalition, condemning it as a gathering of discredited political elites.
“These are the same individuals who contributed to Nigeria’s problems,” Sowore said. “From Atiku’s alleged corruption in Customs to David Mark’s role in the June 12 crisis, and El-Rufai’s divisive politics, this coalition is a union of past misdeeds. I have never joined an armed robbery gang and I won’t start now.”
…David Mark, Aregbesola take helm as ADC leadership changes hands
In a symbolic handover at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Ralph Nwosu presented ADC membership cards to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, officially transferring party leadership to them.
In attendance were former PDP and Labour Party presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, alongside former governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Dino Melaye, ex-Sports Minister Solomon Dalung, Ovation publisher Dele Momodu, Senator Ireti Kingibe, ex-Deputy Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, and former Chief of Air Staff Sadique Abubakar.
Speaking at the event, David Mark insisted that the coalition was not merely political but a national imperative to avert Nigeria’s descent into a one-party system.
“We are not under any illusion that this journey will be easy,” he said. “But it is necessary. This is not just about acquiring power, it is about rebuilding Nigeria from the ground up.”
While Mark acknowledged the difficulty in uniting competing political interests under one banner, he maintained that the stakes were too high to allow personal ambition to derail the project.
With no formal framework for leadership selection, unresolved disputes over party control, and mounting criticism from both within and outside the movement, the coalition’s path to 2027 appears fraught with obstacles.
Analysts caution that unless the alliance can overcome its foundational rifts and present a clear, united vision, it may unravel long before voters head to the polls.
