Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has officially joined the coalition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), just 17 months ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The 78-year-old politician announced the move in a brief post on his official X account on Monday, sharing photos of himself holding the party’s membership card with the caption, “It’s official.”
Atiku had been a high-profile member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) before resigning on July 16, citing irreconcilable differences within the party. He explained that the PDP’s current trajectory diverged from its founding principles, making it necessary for him to part ways.
Although Atiku led the adoption of the ADC as the coalition platform for opposition figures to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, he and other prominent opposition leaders, including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal, had delayed formally registering with the party. Their absence at the unveiling of the ADC National Secretariat in Wuse, Abuja, had sparked speculation about the coalition’s seriousness.
The opposition formally adopted the ADC on July 2, 2025, as its platform to contest the 2027 presidential and other elections. The coalition stated its goal is to rescue the country from collapse and rebuild its democracy.
“Let it be known 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 accused the APC-led Federal Government of hijacking democratic institutions and steering the country toward “a creeping descent into total civilian dictatorship” over the past two years. He added that the current administration has been “consumed with politicking” and has largely abandoned governance.
