Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signalling a major realignment in Nigeria’s opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku announced his membership on Monday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, posting images of himself holding the party’s membership card alongside a brief caption that read: “It’s official.”
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Before this move, Atiku had been a longstanding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) under which he served as vice president from 1999 to 2007.
He left the PDP for the defunct Action Congress (AC), where he ran for president in 2007, and returned to the former before joining the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014. He, however, dumped the APC and returned to the PDP, whose flag he flew in the 2019 and 2023 presidential elections.
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His decision to leave the PDP on 16 July comes after months of speculation, following a period of internal crises and factional disagreements within the party.
Atiku cited “irreconcilable differences” and a perceived departure from the party’s founding principles as the main reasons for his exit.
“I am writing to formally resign my membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with immediate effect,” he stated in a letter addressed to the Chairman of PDP, Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa State.
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The resignation came just two weeks after opposition leaders officially unveiled the ADC as a coalition platform for figures seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.
Atiku had previously spearheaded the endorsement of the ADC in July, presenting it as a common platform for opposition politicians, including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal. However, at the time, he and other key opposition figures had delayed formal registration with the party.
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With his official registration, Atiku’s alignment with the ADC is now concrete, signalling a major shift in Nigeria’s opposition landscape.
The party, which has been positioned as a coalition vehicle for prominent opposition figures, has a former Senate President, David Mark, as its national chairman, ex-Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi as national publicity secretary.
Atiku’s move is seen as a strategic attempt to consolidate opposition forces around a single platform capable of mounting a serious challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
By formally joining the ADC, Atiku is expected to enhance the coalition’s visibility and leverage, particularly given his extensive nationwide political network and decades of experience in Nigerian politics.
His departure from the PDP marks a critical juncture in his political career, highlighting ongoing frustrations within the former ruling party, which has faced repeated internal conflicts in recent years.
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