2027 Election: Report Shares Strong Argument El-Rufai Presented at Key Coalition Meeting in Abuja

• Opposition leaders have all but agreed to adopt the ADC as the platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu
• Legit.ng reports that political alignments and realignments with respect to the 2027 presidential election are in top gear
• In what sources described as a “near-consensus”, opposition leaders are now on the verge of adopting the ADC as their joint platform

Katsina, Katsina state - Mallam Nasir El-Rufai led a delegation from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) to a crucial meeting with coalition representatives on Tuesday night, May 20.

At the meeting in Abuja, the former governor of Kaduna state tried to persuade the coalition leaders to consider his new party.

2027: El-Rufai to submit SDP pitch

The Cable, on Thursday, May 22, cited sources as saying El-Rufai argued that the SDP could serve as a stronger vehicle for the coalition due to its name recognition and structure. He was said to have eventually persuaded them to allow the party to present a formal pitch.

An insider disclosed that El-Rufai’s argument prompted the coalition leaders to pause the final adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and give the former Kaduna governor two weeks to present a formal pitch on why the SDP is the best option.

The online newspaper shared that a coalition member emphasised that the “preponderance of opinion” within the group favours the ADC.

2027 election: ADC, the new bride

The ADC appears to have emerged as the new political bride in Nigeria’s opposition landscape. This follows its adoption by a coalition of opposition leaders as the platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

The coalition, which is led by El-Rufai, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, was formally announced in March. However, a decision on which political platform to adopt had been delayed by several rounds of talks, initially with the SDP.

Following weeks of consultations, coalition leaders met in Abuja on Tuesday night, May 20, and resolved, among other decisions, to adopt the ADC as their platform of choice.

The meeting was confirmed by El-Rufai in Katsina on Wednesday, May 21, although he did not disclose details of what was agreed.

Read more on the 2027 election:

• 2027 election: Primate Ayodele prophesies showdown, advises Tinubu on Shettima
• 2027 election: Kwankwaso breaks silence amid alleged plot to rejoin APC
• 2027 election: 7 facts about ADC as Atiku, Peter Obi, El-Rufai adopt party to form coalition against Tinubu

'Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai’s coalition destined to crumble'

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that amid a coalition plot, Ajibola Basiru, national secretary of the ruling APC, said Atiku, along with other opposition leaders, would once again lose in 2027.

Basiru said the opposition leaders would fail in the 2027 election 'because their coalition is not driven by the best interests of Nigerians'.

Senator Basiru, who advised Atiku, Obi, and others to return to their respective parties, predicted that the coalition leaders would face defeat in the 2027 election.

Source: Legit.ng