EXCLUSIVE: Atiku set to dump PDP for ADC, picks Obi as running mate

Barring any last-minute change of plans, former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is set to resign his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as he intensifies preparations to contest the 2027 presidential election under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

PlatinumPost gathered from multiple impeccable sources that Atiku, who has made several unsuccessful attempts at the presidency, has finalized plans to actualize his long-held ambition through the ADC.

As part of the new political alignment, Atiku’s camp has reportedly settled on former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, as his running mate for the 2027 polls.

Sources familiar with the high-level negotiations disclosed to PlatinumPost  that Obi has given his approval to join forces with Atiku after several months of behind-the-scenes talks.

PlatinumPost learnt that the breakthrough came following the intervention of a former Nigerian president, who played a pivotal role in convincing both camps to unite in the interest of national stability and strategic political advantage.

According to insiders, who told this Newspaper that  the negotiations reached a turning point when Obi’s group, initially hesitant due to concerns about the political implications in the South-East and among his staunch supporters—the Obidient Movement—was assured of a robust plan to manage the anticipated backlash.

READ ALSO:2027 : Atiku, Obi now ready to join forces to unseat Tinubu – Ex-VP ally

To mitigate discontent in the South-East and across parts of Southern Nigeria, key political figures, including the aforementioned ex-president and influential northern leaders, have agreed to set up a high-powered committee of prominent Igbo elders. This committee will work quietly but effectively to pacify stakeholders and garner support for the alliance.

To this end, the former President advised the parties involved to keep the deal close to their chest as consultations on how to calm fraying nerves are ongoing before the matter goes to public domain.

PlatinumPost further gathered that the power-sharing formula reportedly agreed upon includes a firm commitment from Atiku to serve only one term if elected, after which power would shift to the South-East with Obi receiving full backing from the North to succeed him. This arrangement is seen by many as a strategic step toward finally realizing an Igbo presidency in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic.

Political analysts and stakeholders behind the alliance believe that only a united Atiku/Obi ticket can pose a formidable challenge to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

“The North is ready to support Obi after Atiku,” one source said. “It’s a win-win arrangement that will heal the nation and restore balance in the political structure.”

The committee’s primary mandate is to communicate this promise of succession to the South-East electorate and ensure broad-based acceptance of the Atiku/Obi ticket.

Commenting on the state of political alliances ahead of 2027, Kenneth Okonkwo, a former presidential spokesperson for the Labour Party, recently stated on Channels Television’s Politics Today that no single candidate can defeat President Bola Tinubu in 2027 without a broad coalition.

Though Okonkwo did not name who might lead such a coalition, the emerging Atiku-Obi alliance appears to fit the mold he described—a strategic merger aimed at ending Tinubu’s grip on power through a united opposition front.

Reacting to the report, Paul Ibe, spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar, said he was unaware of any plans by his principal to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

“These are just speculations. Is he supposed to join all the political parties? As of this morning, he remains in the PDP, and there’s nothing to suggest otherwise at the moment,” Ibe told PlatinumPost on Friday.

He added that the rumors were aimed at creating distractions ahead of the 2027 elections.

“These are the handiwork of certain individuals trying to cause distraction,” he said.

Similarly, Yunusa Tanko, interim national coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide and spokesperson for Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, said the former Anambra State governor has not informed him of any plans to join the ADC or run as Atiku’s running mate in 2027.

“As far as I’m concerned, no such story has come to my desk. I’m not aware of it,” Tanko said.

“Although a lot of people are making calculation on how best to save the country , Peter Obi has not make such information known. So  I count it as calculation of some individuals who are working on how best to save the country,” he added.