JUST IN: Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai forge opposition alliance ahead of 2027 election

The trio reached a consensus on Tuesday, May 20, after months of behind-the-scenes negotiations.

Though yet to be officially announced, sources confirm that the coalition will rally under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a relatively obscure party that could soon become the epicentre of Nigeria’s political opposition.

“I can categorically inform you that the African Democratic Congress is the coalition party in Nigeria. What remains is merely dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s,” said Mani Ahmed, Chairman of the ADC Board of Trustees, at a recent press briefing.

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The alliance marks a dramatic reconciliation between former rivals whose fragmented bids in the 2023 elections helped secure Tinubu’s win.

Combined, Atiku and Obi polled more votes than Tinubu’s 8.7 million, underscoring the potential strength of a united front.

However, the coalition faces immediate hurdles. Chief among them is selecting a presidential flagbearer—a delicate issue given Nigeria’s informal power rotation between the North and South.

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Atiku, from the North, may face resistance from Southern voters who overwhelmingly backed Obi in 2023. Internal divisions within the opposition further complicate the picture.

Atiku’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is mired in a leadership struggle, while Obi’s Labour Party has been weakened by infighting between the candidate and party chairman Julius Abure.

Despite these setbacks, mounting economic hardship under Tinubu’s administration, including soaring inflation and subsidy removal fallout, has bolstered calls for change and breathed momentum into the new alliance.

As one party insider said, “The suffering in the country is uniting the opposition faster than any strategy document.”