The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has accused a faction of the party led by former Senate President David Mark of plotting to field Atiku Abubakar as the coalition’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Kachikwu described the coalition as a strategic takeover engineered by political veterans with a singular agenda: to reclaim power for the North.
“It’s a coalition that has been designed and engineered to produce Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer, and that is an absolute truth,” Kachikwu declared.
He challenged the coalition leadership to prove him wrong by openly committing to a southern presidential candidate in the spirit of power rotation.
Inside the Coalition Talks
Kachikwu, who came fifth in the 2023 general election, revealed that coalition leaders approached him late last year for discussions about forming a united opposition. He eventually agreed to attend a meeting earlier this year, which included former ministers and high-ranking figures from previous administrations.
“They said the current administration had failed Nigeria and insisted a coalition was necessary,” he said. “But when I asked if the South would produce the flag bearer, the response was immediate: ‘We are taking our power back.’ That ended the conversation for me.”
Power Rotation or Political Hijack?
The newly-formed coalition, unveiled in Abuja on March 20, includes prominent figures such as Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Nasir El-Rufai, and Rotimi Amaechi. Although most have not formally joined the ADC, they pledged allegiance to the party, which now has David Mark as interim national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
Kachikwu, however, insists the group lacks transparency and inclusivity.
“As someone from the South, I was told—indirectly—that I could not aspire to office,” he said. “This coalition isn’t about fairness. It’s about imposing Atiku.”
A Call for Clarity
Kachikwu has urged the Mark-led ADC faction to make a definitive statement about zoning the 2027 presidential ticket to the South, arguing that anything short of that undermines equity and the spirit of Nigeria’s federal character.
“Make that statement, and we’ll know you’re serious,” he said. “Until then, this is nothing more than an elite hijack.”
As Nigeria’s political scene begins to shape up ahead of 2027, internal party dynamics and regional interests are once again poised to influence who gets to lead the charge against the incumbent administration.
