Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally joined the African Democratic Party (ADC) coalition, 17 months ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
The 78-year-old politician announced his membership in a brief post on his official X account on Monday, sharing images of himself holding the party’s membership card alongside the caption, “It’s official.”
Atiku had been a prominent member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before resigning on July 16, citing irreconcilable differences and concerns that the party had strayed from its foundational principles.
Although Atiku led the adoption of the ADC as the coalition platform for opposition figures seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, he and other key opposition leaders—including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal—had previously delayed their formal registration. Their absence at the unveiling of the ADC National Secretariat in Wuse, Abuja, had sparked speculation about the coalition’s seriousness in unseating the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It’s official. -AA pic.twitter.com/OBoC6XdmtR
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) November 24, 2025
The opposition coalition officially designated the ADC as its political platform on July 2, 2025, signaling its intent to contest the 2027 presidential and other elections. The coalition has framed its mission as a national effort to rescue the country and rebuild its democracy.
“Let it be known to all that this coalition of national political opposition groups goes beyond gaining political power. It is a concerted effort to rebuild the crumbling pillars of Nigeria’s democracy. The mission is clear: Rescue Nigeria. Rebuild Nigeria. Return power to the people,” said ADC Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark.
Mark further accused the Federal Government, led by the APC, of undermining democratic institutions and driving the country toward “a creeping descent into total civilian dictatorship” over the past two years. He also asserted that the current administration has become “consumed with politicking” at the expense of effective governance.
