ADC Rejects Need for Coalition to Defeat Tinubu as Obi-Kwankwaso Camp Shuts Door on Mergers

Prospects of a unified mega-opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 presidential election suffered fresh setbacks as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) declared that it does not require an alliance to unseat President Bola Tinubu, while the support base backing Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso firmly rejected any merger with outside political groups.

Speaking on the party’s preparedness for the upcoming general elections, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi stated that the party has built enough political momentum and public goodwill across the country to contest and win the presidency on its own.

Abdullahi clarified that although early opposition talks explored a broad-based front to streamline the race against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the political landscape has since evolved. He noted that current engagements with other opposition parties are no longer centered on picking a single consensus candidate, but rather on developing mutual strategies to monitor polling units and protect votes on election day. Expressing strong faith in the candidacy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC spokesperson described the 2027 poll as a direct referendum on the current administration’s performance.

At the same time, the OK Movement—which coordinates grassroots support for the joint ticket of Peter Obi and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—ruled out joining any external political merger.

In a communiqué issued following its National Leadership Summit in Abuja, leaders and coordinators across all geopolitical zones and 36 states resolved unanimously to preserve the group’s standalone structure. The leadership explained that absorbing the movement into an external entity would disrupt ongoing community-level mobilization, risk losing hard-earned momentum, and confuse supporters.

While reaffirming their commitment to remaining fully independent, leaders of the OK Movement clarified that their stance does not signify isolation, maintaining that the platform remains open to strategic cooperation with like-minded groups to achieve shared democratic goals.