2027 Election: Fresh Twist as anti-Tinubu Coalition Set to Announce Adopted Platform, Name Disclosed

• 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

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Ahead of the 2027 election, the anti-Bola Tinubu coalition is set to announce the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its adopted platform.

According to a report by The Punch on Sunday, June 29, ex-Senate President David Mark would serve as the party's interim national chairman.

The decisions were reportedly made by leaders of the anti-Tinubu alliance, including erstwhile Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 election, Peter Obi; former governor of Kaduna, Nasir El-Rufai; and former governor of Rivers state, Rotimi Amaechi.

The report said the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was rejected due to the alleged dominance of President Tinubu’s loyalists within its structure.

Also, insiders revealed that El-Rufai led a delegation from the SDP to a meeting with coalition representatives in May where he tried to persuade them to consider his newly-adopted party.

According to sources, El-Rufai argued that the SDP could serve as a stronger vehicle for the coalition because of name recognition and structure. Regardless, the “preponderance of opinion” within the group reportedly favoured the ADC.

A source divulged:

“What I can tell you is that we have all agreed on the ADC as the national coalition platform. So, ADC is our party, and that has been settled.

"Hopefully, we will make the official announcement this week. And we will all leave our political platforms for the ADC.”

Why coalition 'adopted' ADC

Furthermore, another key figure involved in the movement explained why the ADC was picked.

The source said:

“We adopted the ADC because time is no longer on our side, and INEC appears unwilling to register some of the political parties we previously proposed.

“The agreement is that we will all leave our various parties and move to the platform we’ve agreed upon, ADC."

Legit.ng reports that Atiku and El-Rufai have been rooting for a coalition of political parties and individuals to challenge Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 election.

Atiku has contacted key political figures across parties and has been making plans with El-Rufai; Babachir Lawal, a former secretary to the government of the federation (SGF); and Akin Anderson Ricketts, a one-time board chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Other prominent coalition members are Salihu Lukman, a former national vice chairman (north-west) of the APC; and Abdullahi Musa Elayo, from Nasarawa state.

Read more on the 2027 election:

• Tinubu breaks silence on El-Rufai, Atiku's coalition ahead of 2027 election
• VP fate in 2027 election: Barau speaks amid reports he may replace Shettima as Tinubu's running mate
• 2027 election: 'Peter Obi has accepted to become VP candidate,' Tinubu's spokesman speaks, makes claim

Tinubu knocks opposition coalition

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that President Tinubu told Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa state not to be swayed by 'the noise of coalition groups'.

According to Tinubu, opposition figures working together to unseat him are "political internally-displaced persons (IDPs).”

The Nigerian leader asked Governor Sule not to give the coalition members hope.

Source: Legit.ng