Former Senate President, David Mark, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, and other key figures were in Abuja on Thursday for a high-level African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition meeting.
Also present were ex-Minister of Digital Economy Isa Pantami, former Kwara State Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed, and ex-Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who gathered alongside former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku later took to his official X handle to stress the significance of the meeting, framing it as part of a national resistance against powers holding back development.
He wrote, “I am currently at the stakeholders meeting of the Coalition African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja. It’s a meeting of the Nigerian people against the oligarchs who promote poverty and insecurity in the land.”
The ADC coalition was officially adopted by opposition politicians in July and is seen as their collective platform to challenge for power in the 2027 general elections.
The party was originally created in 2005 as the Alliance for Democratic Change before later becoming the African Democratic Congress.
It was officially registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in 2011.
Since then, the ADC has sought to present itself as a centrist alternative to the country’s two dominant parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It has become a rallying point for reform-minded defectors determined to establish a strong third force in Nigeria’s political space.
Other prominent members of the coalition include former PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and ex-Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola.
Also aligned with the movement are former House of Representatives Speaker Emeka Ihedioha, ex-Kogi Central Senator Dino Melaye, and former APC National Chairman, Odigie Oyegun.
