Atiku, Obi, el-Rufai Coalesce into African Democratic Congress to Wrest Power from Tinubu

In a bid to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s rule, Nigeria’s top opposition leaders have agreed to put aside their differences and unite ahead of the 2027 elections.

The move aims to repair the rifts that led to Tinubu’s victory in the 2023 polls.

According to sources familiar with the matter, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and former minister Nasir El-Rufai of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have concluded months of discussions and agreed to join forces under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) banner.

The ADC, a relatively small party that secured only 82,000 votes in the last election, is set to become the platform for the united opposition.

While spokespeople for the PDP and Labour Party downplayed the development, saying that their candidates were free to engage in discussions but there were no talks of merging parties, the agreement marks a significant shift in the opposition’s strategy.

The unity pact reconciles the leaders who splintered before the 2023 election, which Tinubu won with 8.7 million votes (37% of the total). A combined opposition effort could have potentially secured victory, given that their collective vote tally far exceeded Tinubu’s.

Since taking office, Tinubu’s administration has been plagued by surging inflation and a cost-of-living crisis, sparked by his economic reforms.

The president has also consolidated his power, aided by defections from opposition parties to the ruling All Progressives Congress.

However, the opposition coalition still needs to resolve its key challenge: selecting a presidential candidate.

The country’s unwritten tradition of rotating power between the northern and southern regions may complicate Abubakar’s chances, as he is a northerner.

Obi, who is from the southern region, has previously ruled out running as a deputy to Abubakar, and it remains to be seen whether he will secure the backing of his supporters if he reverses his decision.

The outcome of this unity pact will be closely watched, as it has the potential to shape the course of Nigeria’s political landscape in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.