Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesperson of the African Democratic Congress ADC, has acknowledged growing concerns surrounding the possible presidential ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi ahead of the 2027 general election.
Abdullahi spoke on Friday, December 12, while appearing on Arise TV’s The Morning Show, where he admitted that the situation presents a challenge that the party is mindful of.
However, he cautioned against portraying the Atiku Obi political equation as the biggest danger facing Nigeria’s democracy, pushing back against the suggestion made during the interview.
“I may not describe the situation in such superlative terms to say that it is the greatest threat to democracy at the moment. But is it a conundrum? Yes. Is it a challenge? Yes. Is it something we are concerned about? Yes,” Abdullahi said.
He explained that while the issue remains important, the ADC’s immediate priority is strengthening its internal structures nationwide and building the capacity required to compete effectively in the 2027 elections.
According to him, discussions about who would fly the party’s presidential flag have not yet begun. He stressed that the party is currently focused on expanding its footprint across the country.
“Nobody in ADC at this time is having a conversation about who the presidential candidates will be,” he said, noting that the party is still working to consolidate its presence in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“We have so much work to do, to establish our presence, to be in a position to contest elections in all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT. So, this has preoccupied us. But we know that is an issue we have to deal with,” Abdullahi added.
On how the party plans to address the matter when the time comes, Abdullahi said the ADC may opt for a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate. He noted that if consensus proves unattainable, the party would open the contest to all interested aspirants.
“The most important thing at this time is, when we get to that point, we’ll try to engineer a consensus, which is an option for us. But if we are not able to reach a consensus, then we’ll possibly just open it up for everyone to contest. And it’s not just about Atiku and Peter Obi,” he said.
He further clarified that interest in the ADC’s presidential ticket extends beyond the two prominent figures. “There are other people who are also interested in contesting the presidential race. We have to make allowance that it’s not a settled case between just Atiku and Peter Obi,” Abdullahi stated.
He also revealed that the ADC remains engaged in talks with other political parties as part of efforts to build a broader coalition ahead of the 2027 general election.
