2027: Coalition in disarray as Amaechi, Obi, Atiku battle for ADC presidential ticket

Barely days after the official unveiling of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, cracks have already emerged within the opposition platform as top politicians battle for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.

The coalition, formed to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), is already facing internal power struggles as former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, all position themselves for the job.

During an interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, Amaechi officially declared his intention to run for president under the ADC coalition.

He also promised to serve only one term if elected, saying the decision would help maintain the power rotation between the north and south.

“The South must be allowed to complete their tenure,” Amaechi said, adding that Tinubu’s administration has made life unbearable for ordinary Nigerians, making a change inevitable.

However, Obi’s 2023 running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, has kicked against any arrangement that would see Obi playing second fiddle again.

Speaking on Arise TV, Datti argued that Obi, who secured over 10 million votes in the last presidential election, deserves to lead the coalition.

“Peter Obi should not be a vice-presidential candidate in 2027, having earned a contested 10 million votes,” Datti said.

Although Obi has not officially resigned from the Labour Party, his active participation in ADC coalition meetings has fuelled speculations that he could contest under the new platform.

Meanwhile, Atiku Abubakar remains silent on his 2027 ambition, but political observers believe he is quietly preparing for another presidential run.

His supporters, especially in the north, have begun mobilising within the ADC, banking on Atiku’s long-standing political structure and experience.

What was meant to be a united opposition front is now showing early signs of internal divisions, with power struggles, zoning debates, and clashing ambitions threatening to destabilise the coalition.

Former ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu has already raised concerns over possible manipulation of the party’s primaries, warning of elite interference behind the scenes.

Despite assurances from opposition figures like Dele Momodu that unity remains the priority, many fear the coalition could crumble before the 2027 elections if these tensions are not properly managed.

In reaction to the unfolding drama, FCT Minister Nyesom Wike dismissed the ADC as nothing more than a gathering of “failed and expired politicians,” while presidential aides described the opposition alliance as a weak arrangement that poses no threat to the ruling APC.