As political gladiators in Nigeria begin to plot their moves ahead 2027 general election, the new coalition of politicians are weighing their chances to wrest power from the All Progressives Congress (APC).
As the election is drawing closer, the presidential ambition of big wigs like former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi; Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State governor, and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar is reportedly shaping the internal structure of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, is said to be struggling for influence.
In the last election, the North East was overwhelmingly won by the PDP in the presidential election; only Borno was won by the APC. Surprisingly, both APC and PDP shared the six states into two with each controlling three states now.
At present, crisis is ravaging PDP, and ADC is already taking over PDP structures in Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, and Bauchi states. While in Borno State about 70 percent of prominent figures in the PDP, including all local governments and ward executives, have resigned their positions from the party.
Interestingly, Kashim Shettima, current vice president, hails from the region.
Five serving governors would have completed their two terms in office by 2027 which makes the political landscape of the zone more vulnerable. Political pundits have said that the ADC has commenced strategic moves to woo high-profile politicians from the PDP, APC and New Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NNPP), especially in the northern part of the country.
A party source disclosed that most of the ADC’s state chapters, zonal bodies, and even its national leadership were now largely aligned with Atiku.
Insiders within the ADC, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, alleged that Atiku financed efforts to take control of the party as a platform to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
For instance, in Yobe State, Adamu Maina Waziri, who has been a two-time governorship candidate of the PDP and its leader in Yobe, has recently led multitude to joined ADC.
An insider claimed that Waziri, a man who has enjoyed every blessing and opportunity from the PDP that gave him the platform to become Minister of Police Affairs, twice gubernatorial candidate, Senatorial candidate and many other privileges, is rooting for Atiku.
Also, Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed Binani, a former Adamawa gubernatorial candidate, has dumped the APC. Senator Binani declared she was now a member of the coalition-backed ADC. She spoke to her supporters while holding the ADC flag, publicly declaring her allegiance to the opposition party.
Read also: Those planning to use ADC for coalition are dreamers – Abejide
“We have embraced the ADC, and we’re ready to move forward under its banner,” Binani said during the address.
Meanwhile, another political tsunami appears to have hit the camp of Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and the PDP in Adamawa State, as some of his loyalists, including his immediate past deputy, Crowder Seth, ex speaker Gibson Nathaniel, his former special adviser who was ALGON chairman Sahabo Aliyu Gurin have ditched him for the APC.
Others who decamped are former chief judge, Ambrose Mamadi; former Assembly members, local government chairmen, among others.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the APC governorship candidate in Bauchi State during the 2023 election, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd.) might have resigned his membership from the party, just as he was seen at the inaugural meeting of the ADC in Abuja.
A source close to Sadique hinted that he is yet to make a public announcement but, “Certainly, he was at the ADC meeting recently in Abuja. He would not have been at the gathering if he was not joining the coalition. He felt abandoned by the APC.”
In Gombe, the defections were announced during an expanded caucus meeting of the coalition recently.
It was attended by officials of the ADC and prominent members of the PDP and other opposition parties who moved en masse into the coalition.
Earlier, the PDP secretariat in many of the wards in Gombe was decorated with ADC flags and banners. Speaking, a former minister and leader of the coalition in the state, Idris Umar, said that the alliance by opposition parties in the ADC is not aimed at ousting the ruling APC from power but rather “to salvage the nation and its citizens from the current socio-economic woes.
The former minister also announced plans by the ADC to commence registration of members in the 114 wards of the state, aimed at expanding the party’s membership and reach.
Also, the state chairman of the party, Auwal Barde, extended a warm welcome to new entrants into the party, assuring them of a warm reception and opportunities to contribute to the party’s victory in the next elections.
He emphasised the need for a change in power at both the state and federal levels, citing the current challenges facing the state and the nation.
Ironically, in Borno State, Mattawali Kashim Ibrahim Imam, a former PDP governorship candidate; Idrissa Mamman Durkwa, a former governorship aspirant, and Hon. Sheriff Banki, a youth mobiliser and stakeholder, have since taken the lead of joining the ADC.
In Durkwa, a retired federal civil servant-turned politician who stormed Maiduguri last week, was leading the massive defections in the state, as many people from different opposition parties, including the ruling APC, have started tendering their resignation to their ward chairmen.
Among them are Hon. Mohammed Umara Kumalia, former House minority leader and governorship aspirant, and 2023 Borno Central Senatorial candidate on the platform of the PDP.
Others are, Saleh Kida, PDP 2023 deputy governorship candidate; Ali Wurge, former PDP national treasurer; Hon. Babakura Abba Yusuf, 2023 House of Representatives candidate in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council, MMC; Hon. Abdulrazaq Ahmed Zanna, 2023 PDP candidate for Bama, Ngala, Kala Balge federal constituency and other House of Representatives candidates.
Also, on the list of early defectors are Hon. Maina Justice, who is a leader of stakeholders in Jere local government area; Hon. Fali Wubulari, former House of Assembly member (Askira Uba LGA state constituency) and many candidates in the opposition parties for House of Assembly in all the 27 local government areas.
Isa Lawan Kangar, Borno North 2023 Senatorial candidate, all Ward and local government party executives, 70percent opposition party stakeholders with their former party executives at state, local government, and ward levels have equally jumped ship to the ADC.
The former gubernatorial candidate of NNPP in 2023, Hon. Umar Alkali Nasco; former member Borno State House of Assembly (Askira-Uba) Local Government Area, and PDP stalwarts; Hon Fali Wubulari, and a hosts of other opposition party leaders.
Fortnight ago, ADC stakeholders in Borno State expressed their readiness to provide tough opposition in Borno State which is willing to mobilise voters to win all elective positions from the local, state and national levels come 2027 general elections.
Speaking during the unveiling of ADC in Maiduguri, Sheriff Banki argued that the time was ripe to change the narrative in the state, with a party system dominated by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Addressing a mammoth crowd of supporters hitherto members of PDP, NNPP, LP among others, who defected to the new movement, Banki called on the people of Borno State, including members of the ruling APC to join ADC to salvage the state and Nigerians from manipulations, hunger, poverty, insecurity and the current economic hardships.
“We are here today to unveil our great party, ADC. This coalition is a movement which is aimed to rescue people from bad governance, and Borno is not exceptional. We want to elect people or leaders who will bring inclusivity, zero- tolerance to corruption into the system. Under the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, average Nigerians are in critical condition due to bad policies, and ADC is determined to do the needful come 2027,” Banki stated.
The pioneer Chairman of the coalition, ADC, Hon. Mohammed Umar Bolori expressed satisfaction with the large turnout of supporters and pledged to operate an open-door policy to ensure victory in the forthcoming general election in the state and the country as a whole. However, masses are now watching if the newly bride ADC would be to survive the antics of APC and its king of game Tinubu by put aside personal interests and their differences to provide formidable opposition as we approaching the 2027 general election.
