A senior member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the President Bola Tinubu-led administration of covertly working to derail former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s political plans within the party. According to the chieftain, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is fearful of Atiku’s candidacy in the 2027 presidential election and is allegedly sponsoring internal unrest within the ADC to weaken the party’s ranks.
Speaking to Sunday Punch, the ADC chieftain claimed, “The only person they [Presidency] are scared of is Atiku Abubakar. They don’t want him on the ballot. That is why they are doing everything to infiltrate the ranks of the ADC and cause unnecessary tension within the party.”
The source further alleged that the APC’s ultimate goal is to secure a “free ride” in the 2027 election, without facing serious opposition. “What Tinubu and his supporters want is a free ride to the 2027 election, and that is why they are scared of Atiku. What they don’t know is that the elections will be between Nigerians and the APC. Having gone through avoidable pains in the past two years, Nigerians know exactly what they want in 2027, and no amount of intimidation can make them back out of their resolve to vote out the incompetent APC,” he said.
The chieftain also suggested that the APC does not view former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, as a serious threat. He pointed out that internal dynamics in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), particularly the influence of FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, would make it difficult for Obi to secure the PDP ticket if he chose to return. “They want Peter Obi and other southerners to run because they know that Bola Tinubu will be the strongest candidate of them all if Atiku is not on the ballot. They are wooing Peter Obi to PDP, but there is no way the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, will allow Obi to have the party’s ticket,” the source noted.
In a separate interview with Sunday Punch, ADC Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, accused the APC of trying to destabilize opposition coalitions to clear its path for victory in the 2027 elections. Abdullahi vowed that the ADC would resist any attempts to undermine its leadership. “The task of sweeping away the APC-led government in 2027 must be done,” he declared.
The ADC has faced internal disputes since David Mark replaced Ralph Nwosu as National Chairman, with some former state chairmen openly criticizing the transition process. When asked if the APC was behind the protests against the Mark-led leadership, Abdullahi replied, “We have repeatedly maintained this. All these things you see have become an enterprise. They hold press conferences to say they are challenging the leadership of David Mark. This has become a good business for them.”
Abdullahi dismissed the internal protests, saying, “They are wasting their resources and their time. We know the people behind this. It is either that the people are sponsoring them, or they are holding the press conferences to attract attention from those who will give them money. For us, we are not bothered about this. They should continue to entertain themselves.”
As tensions continue to rise within the ADC and across Nigeria’s political landscape, the race for the 2027 presidency remains a fierce battleground.
