Atiku Wins ADC Presidential Ticket, Set for 2027 Showdown with Tinubu, Obi

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has secured the presidential ticket for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), setting the stage for a potential rematch of the 2023 election. Abubakar garnered 1,846,379 votes, significantly outpolling his closest rival, former Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi, who received 540,117 votes. Economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen trailed with 177,120 votes.

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I wish to express my profound appreciation for the privilege, which you have bestowed on me, of leading our great party, the African Democratic Congress, into the next elections as its presidential candidate. I am truly humbled and excited by this singular honour.

Abubakar's nomination positions him to once again contend with incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peter Obi, who was Tinubu's running mate in 2019 and now leads the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). This configuration suggests the 2027 presidential election may mirror the three-horse race seen in 2023.

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We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party and its oppressive and anti-democratic government, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress.

Accepting the nomination, Abubakar expressed gratitude and highlighted the ADC's commitment to democracy, contrasting it with what he described as the ruling party's "oppressive and anti-democratic government." He asserted that the ADC allows members freedom of expression and fair contest for positions, positioning the party as a coalition dedicated to rescuing Nigeria's democracy.

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In our party, members are allowed to express their views, to have ambitions and to contest for elective positions in a free, fair and transparent process.

He further alleged that the ruling APC, the INEC, and elements within the judiciary are engineering leadership crises in opposition parties and harassing opposition figures. As an example, he cited the continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor, despite court orders granting him bail, alleging this is due to his prominent opposition role.

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As I speak, virtually all opposition political parties in the country have leadership crisis engineered by the APC government, the INEC, and elements in the judiciary.