Saturday July 12, 2025
By TheNewsDESK |
A group of presidential aspirants under the banner of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) are set to formalize an agreement pledging mutual support for whichever contender clinches the party’s presidential ticket, Leadership reports on Saturday.
While the aspirants have reached a consensus in principle, they are expected to define the parameters of what constitutes a “transparent primary,” which will form the basis of the agreement.
Former minister of transportation and prominent coalition figure, Rotimi Amaechi, revealed the development in an exclusive interview with the newspaper.
During a recent address, the party’s interim national chairman, Senator David Mark, emphasized that ADC has no favored aspirant. On July 8, Mark assured members that his leadership would uphold “absolute transparency,” a comment that came amid increased jostling among key party figures for the presidential ticket.
Among those eyeing the ADC nomination is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently signaled his intention to run again in 2027 during a visit from Gombe State stakeholders. While Atiku dismissed reports of being asked to withdraw in favor of a southern candidate, his renewed ambition has reignited interest in the power-sharing debate.
Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential flag bearer, has also thrown his hat into the ring. In a recent interview, he confirmed his decision to contest again, stressing that he had not entered any discussions about becoming a vice presidential candidate in the next cycle.
Supporters of both Obi and Atiku — who previously shared a joint ticket in 2019 — have been actively promoting their respective candidacies online. Meanwhile, Amaechi, who lost the APC’s 2023 presidential primary to President Bola Tinubu, has declared that he will pursue the presidency in 2027 under the ADC platform.
While former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has distanced himself from any presidential ambition, ex-ADC candidate Dumebi Kachikwu has claimed the party’s current leadership may be angling to zone the ticket to the North, potentially favoring Atiku. His comments come amid ongoing national debates over rotational presidency — a topic that heavily influenced the 2023 polls, where the APC zoned its ticket to the South after President Buhari’s eight years in office.
In his conversation, Amaechi reiterated the group’s collective resolve, while also noting the importance of clarity in the primary process.
“What we agreed in principle, and I must say there is a need to lay the cards on the table – what we agreed is that whoever emerges from a transparent primary will be supported by everyone.
“But first, we need to sit down and define what we mean by transparent because it’s easy for someone to hijack the process and still call it transparent,” he said.
However, when contacted, ADC’s national publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, said he had no knowledge of such an agreement.
“I am not aware of any such agreement. What the party is committed to is that it will provide a level playing ground for everyone and be transparent in its dealings,” he stated.
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