Abuja, Nigeria (July 6 2025) — A new story in Nigeria’s political muckraker has begun to unfold as seven major leaders of the coalition — including an ex-ADC chair as well as prominent opposition heavyweights – vie for the presidency to challenge President Tinubu’s presidency in 2027. The new group includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Labour Party candidate Peter Obi, ex-Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as well as former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, indicating that a new cross-party partnership has been formed.
Coalition Structure & Dynamics
- Shake-up in the leadership following the mass dissolution of the party’s executive national, the former Senate president David Mark was appointed interim chairman. Rauf Aregbesola was appointed temporary chairman as secretary. Their selections set the platform for the party’s transformation as an opposition’s united platform.
- strategic alignment Internal bloc leaders remain debating the best party vehicle – between the ADC or the SDP’s new flight path. El-Rufai is favoring the SDP. But, ADC is gaining more agreement among those seeking an alternative to Tinubu.
- Flagbearer Chess Insiders report that Atiku has provided Obi the vice-presidential post and has promised to step down after one term. This is a rerun of their previous arrangement. The single-term, shared mandat highlights the strategic and transactional nature this alliance.
Fault Lines & Opposition Reacts
Despite the unity the cracks are beginning to show:
- A faction of ADC’s grassroots leaders publicly decried the process as an attempted “hijack”–criticising the absence of inclusive decision-making, warning against elite imposition, and insisting on transparent consultation before any merger is finalized.
- Political analysts highlight possible challenges: multi-level legal disputes regarding ADC leadership’s legitimacy, the tense internally, as well as a populace beware of politicians who have been recycled.
APC Fires Back
The Tinubu camp of President Tinubu dismissed the group as a collection of self-serving rebels, accusing that they are opportunistic and lack unity in ideology. They also questioned the ability of the group to rally real supporters.
Why It Matters
- for 2027Â The coalition represents the first concerted effort to overthrow an incumbent leader since Nigeria’s transition democratic rule, and is a significant step towards extending the time stamp for the upcoming elections.
- Structure-related impact If this takeover of factional power succeed within the ADC the ADC, it could temporarily reorganize the opposition landscape, which is currently fragmented between PDP, LP, SDP and ADC.
- public stakes: As the public becomes increasingly concerned over the rise of inflation, insecurity and a perceived slowing of democracy voters could be able to embrace an unified front, provided it can sustain an unambiguous leadership style and addresses the increasing demand for new faces.
Key Takeaways
| Highlight | Insight |
|---|---|
| 7 possible candidates | Atiku, Obi, el-Rufai, Amaechi, Nwosu, etc. Jockeying for the top tickets |
| ADC takeover underway | Aims of coalition leaders and supported by interim appointments |
| Internal backlash | The grassroots ADC members demand inclusion and legal due procedure |
| APC pushback | Tinubu team describes the coalition as as opportunistic and devoid of an ideology |
| High-stakes 2027 | This early realignment could decide the viability of the opposition in the coming election. |
