ADC, Obi-Kwankwaso Group Rejects Merger, Says No Coalition Needed

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has said it is confident of defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election without relying on a coalition of opposition political parties.

The party said its growing support among Nigerians gives it enough strength to contest the election independently, even as discussions continue among opposition groups on possible areas of cooperation ahead of the poll.

ADC spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the position known during an appearance on Arise TV, where he spoke about the party’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

Abdullahi said the ADC was open to working with other opposition parties, but maintained that the party did not consider a formal coalition necessary for victory. He explained that the coalition talks were initially considered as a way of making the opposition’s campaign easier, rather than because the ADC lacked the capacity to contest the election on its own.

He said discussions among opposition parties were still taking place, particularly around ways to protect votes and monitor the electoral process. According to him, the development of a common system for election monitoring and vote protection could provide an important area of cooperation among opposition parties, even if they eventually contest the election separately.

The ADC spokesperson also dismissed the argument that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and its influential political figures would have an automatic advantage in the presidential election because of their strength within the National Assembly and political structures.

He said the 2027 presidential contest would ultimately be decided by voters across the country and not by the number of lawmakers or political office holders supporting a particular party.

Abdullahi expressed confidence in the ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, saying the party still had several months to mobilise supporters, strengthen its structures and campaign across the country before the election.

He also described the 2027 election as a test of the Tinubu administration’s record in office, arguing that voters would decide whether the government had performed well enough to deserve another term.

While the ADC was projecting confidence in its independent chances, another political development involving supporters of Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has moved in a different direction, with the group known as the OK Movement rejecting any attempt to merge it with an outside political organisation.

The OK Movement, a political support platform associated with the proposed Peter Obi-Rabiu Kwankwaso ticket, resolved at its national leadership summit in Abuja that it would remain an independent organisation.

The movement said it would not be absorbed into or merged with another political body, arguing that such a move could affect its existing programmes, weaken its identity and disrupt the structures it had built among supporters across the country.

The group, however, said maintaining its independence would not prevent it from working with other organisations that share similar political objectives. It said it remained willing to cooperate with allied groups where such cooperation would advance its goals.

The OK Movement was established as a platform to mobilise support around Peter Obi and Kwankwaso and has drawn members and supporters from different political and support groups, including the Obidient Movement, Kwankwasiyya, the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, and the ADC.

At the Abuja summit, the movement also reaffirmed John Ughulu as its founder and Director-General and rejected proposals for his removal from the position.

The leadership said its decision was based on the role Ughulu had played in building the organisation from the grassroots. According to the group, its network was developed through state, local government and ward-level structures, with many of its volunteers connected to the founder through his direct involvement in organising and mobilising them.

The movement argued that changing its leadership could create uncertainty within its grassroots structure and affect the willingness of some coordinators and mobilisers to continue working under a new arrangement.

The summit also addressed the issue of Jacky Wayas, with the group inviting her to return to the organisation as Director for Strategic Implementation and Planning. The position would place her under the leadership of the Director-General.

The movement said her previous contributions were valued and that her return would support efforts to strengthen unity within its ranks.

The group also approved Prince Suleiman Abubakar as the new Deputy Director-General for the North following the resignation of Ambassador Muhammad Auwal Musa from the position. The leadership thanked the former deputy director-general for his service and welcomed Abubakar to the new role.

The summit further presented what it described as the position of its grassroots leaders on the ongoing leadership and organisational issues. The group said state, local government and ward coordinators had indicated that they might stop participating in the movement if Ughulu was removed or if the organisation lost its independent status.

The leadership said the position was intended to give a clear account of the mood among its grassroots members rather than serve as a threat to any individual or organisation.

Following the summit, the national leadership of the OK Movement visited Kwankwaso at his residence to brief him on the decisions reached during the meeting and to communicate the group’s position on maintaining unity within its structure.

The leadership also met with Alhaji Buba Galadima, who heads the movement’s Advisory Council. The group said Galadima advised its members to preserve the movement’s independence and opposed any proposal to merge it into the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.

The latest developments point to different approaches among opposition groups as preparations for the 2027 election gather pace. While the ADC is projecting confidence in its ability to challenge the ruling party without a formal opposition coalition, the OK Movement is seeking to preserve its separate identity while remaining open to cooperation with groups pursuing similar political objectives.

With political alignments expected to continue changing ahead of the election, the positions being taken by the ADC and the OK Movement suggest that opposition cooperation may not necessarily result in a single organisational structure or a formal merger.