2027: Why we are yet to join ADA – Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied reports suggesting he and his political allies have formally adopted the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) as their new platform ahead of the 2027 elections.

Demola Olarenwaju, Atiku’s Special Assistant on Digital Media Strategy, clarified on Saturday that while discussions are ongoing within the Nigeria National Coalition Group (NNCG), no final decision has been made regarding ADA’s adoption.

“A group is in the process of pursuing party registration, just like any other Nigerian, but they need to coordinate this with the coalition,” Olarenwaju wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

He added: “ADA has not been adopted by the coalition, and when the time is right, the public will be informed about the appropriate choices and decisions. Just be patient with that.”

His remarks come days after the NNCG reportedly submitted an application to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking to register ADA as a political party, sparking reactions from within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Several PDP governors and party stalwarts are said to be uneasy about Atiku’s perceived plans to involve the party in a new coalition, particularly as internal rifts remain unresolved. The PDP, which propelled Atiku to the vice presidency from 1999 to 2003 and backed his 2023 presidential bid, is facing mounting internal and external challenges.

Sources within the party suggest Atiku and his key supporters may soon leave the PDP officially — a move that, along with the potential exit of other prominent figures like former Senate President David Mark and ex-House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, could further destabilize the party.

Mark reportedly chaired the recent NNCG meeting where the decision to seek ADA’s registration was made. Should the new platform gain traction, insiders believe a wave of defections from PDP could follow.

Atiku, who has contested the presidency six times between 1993 and 2023, appears to be preparing for a seventh run in 2027. Supporters say his influence remains strong, especially in the North and South East.

Professor Tunde Olusunle, a close ally and lecturer at the University of Abuja, defended Atiku’s role in the current turbulence facing the PDP.

“The defections of two PDP governors, Sheriff Oborevwori and Umo Eno of Delta and Akwa Ibom states, haven’t rattled the foundations of the PDP as much as apprehensions about Atiku’s possible move,” Olusunle said.“It just shows the quantum goodwill Atiku still musters in the political space, which has sustained the continued stay of many in the party.”

He continued: “Atiku is a pioneer member of the PDP; the history of the party in the past 27 years cannot be written without tacit acknowledgement of his invaluable contributions to the evolution of the party.”

Party tensions have recently intensified due to disagreements over Senator Samuel Anyanwu’s role as PDP National Secretary. This has threatened plans for the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for June 30 and a national convention in August. However, efforts to restore order are reportedly underway through the Saraki-led Peace and Reconciliation Committee.

A party source noted: “Before the ADA issue that just came up, the frictions tied to some stakeholders’ refusal to recognise Anyanwu’s position as National Secretary had seriously endangered the plan for the June 30 NEC meeting, preparations for a national convention in August and even steps towards the 2027 general elections.”

Meanwhile, tensions between factions aligned with Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other party actors persist. Wike is backed by a Supreme Court judgment affirming Anyanwu’s legitimacy, while the party’s legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, has reportedly withdrawn from the internal conflict.

“The most logical step now is for the two major contending sides to allow the Saraki Committee broker peace,” the source said.

Olusunle further argued that those undermining Atiku within the party are responsible for the crisis.“In the aftermath of the 2022 presidential primary of the PDP, certain tendencies and interests in the party have pursued the systematic degradation of the party; they had been gnawing at the roots of the party from within, while equally throwing barbs and missiles from within,” he said.“There’s public outcry about the imperative for an alternative platform which can help the actualization of the people for genuine democratic governance; it is instructive that there are fears about the potential weakening of the PDP in the event of Atiku’s identification with the coalition being mooted.”

(NATION)