Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have selected the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the designated platform for their opposition coalition formed to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election in the 2027 general election.
According to sources, the decision was finalised during a high-level meeting held in Abuja on Tuesday night.
El-Rufai revealed this on Wednesday at the second Arewa Tech Fest, a three-day gathering he organized in Katsina to promote technological innovation in northern Nigeria. The event attracts startups, investors, tech experts, and policymakers. El-Rufai reiterated the coalition’s intent to defeat Tinubu, stressing that their efforts are coordinated and purposeful. El-Rufai acknowledged the meeting, describing it as pivotal to the coalition’s strategy to defeat Tinubu. “Yesterday at 8 p.m., there was a very important meeting of the coalition we are putting together to ensure that President Tinubu returns to Lagos in 2027,” he said.
Interestingly, he also hinted at retaining some members of the current administration, singling out Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani for praise. “Though we will still keep Bosun Tijani, we will still keep the minister because he is doing a good work,” El-Rufai stated.
The development marks a significant step toward building a unified opposition front ahead of the next presidential election. Although a candidate has not yet been announced, internal consultations are expected to begin soon. Coalition insiders have indicated that all presidential hopefuls within the alliance will be encouraged to support whoever emerges as the consensus candidate.
By coming together under a neutral platform, the coalition aims to offer a clear and unified challenge in the upcoming election.
