2027 Plot: Kachikwu Rejects ADC Coalition Move

A major leadership crisis has erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following the abrupt takeover of the party’s national leadership by a coalition of political heavyweights widely believed to be aligned with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s 2027 presidential ambition.

Former ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu has vowed to challenge the development in court, describing it as a brazen and undemocratic attempt to hijack the party and install Atiku as its next flag bearer.

The crisis deepened on Wednesday with the announcement of Senator David Mark as the new interim national chairman of the ADC, following the resignation of long-serving chairman Ralph Nwosu.

Alongside Mark, former ministers Rauf Aregbesola and Bolaji Abdullahi were named national secretary and publicity secretary, respectively.

Kachikwu, in a press briefing held in Abuja, rejected the new leadership arrangement, claiming the entire transition was orchestrated to hand Atiku a ready-made platform for 2027.

He said the move flies in the face of party principles and violates the balance between Nigeria’s geopolitical zones.

“Let them come out and declare that the next presidential candidate will come from the South. They won’t, because this coalition was built for Atiku, and that betrays equity and fairness,” Kachikwu declared.

Joined by seven ADC state chairmen and the party’s former national spokesman, Kachikwu warned that legal action is imminent.

He accused the new leadership of lacking legitimacy and suggested that INEC must clarify whether a vacuum exists at the party’s helm.

“We’re asking INEC: Is there a chairman in ADC, or not? If there’s a vacuum, we must immediately call a national convention to elect new leaders,” he said.

Kachikwu, who placed fifth in the 2023 presidential election, revealed that he had previously engaged with the coalition’s proponents, including prominent ex-ministers.

However, he withdrew when it became clear the alliance aimed to rotate power back to the North.

“When I asked whether the South would produce the next flag bearer, they replied: ‘We are taking our power back.’ That response alone was a red flag,” he said.

He rejected any arrangement that marginalizes the South and denounced the coalition as a return to old, recycled politics rooted in ethnic domination.

“Imagine being told to abandon your ambition just because you’re from the South. That’s an absolute no-no,” he said.

Kachikwu said the ADC chairmen aligned with him were properly elected during the party’s 2022 convention and remain the legitimate leadership with mandates valid through 2026.

“They weren’t appointed via WhatsApp or Facebook—they were duly elected by the people,” he noted.

He accused INEC of fostering instability by tolerating parallel party structures under Ralph Nwosu’s tenure and warned that the electoral body must now act decisively to restore order.

Kachikwu also criticized the sudden elevation of David Mark, claiming that Mark only received his ADC membership card at the very event where he was named interim chairman.

“That’s not a merger—it’s a hijack,” he said.

Party Insiders Defend Coalition Takeover

However, not all voices within the ADC are aligned with Kachikwu’s position.

Mrs. Hanatu Gagara, the ADC chairman in Plateau State, defended the coalition and described it as a product of over 18 months of consultations and hard work aimed at transforming Nigeria’s political landscape.

“This party began two decades ago, largely funded by Ralph Nwosu. Now we’re seeing people come in to help strengthen it. That’s a good thing,” she said.

She dismissed Kachikwu’s claims of exclusion, insisting that state chairmen were involved in coalition negotiations from the beginning.

“I’ve been in the party for 17 years and attended every meeting. To say chairmen weren’t involved is simply false,” she added.

Gagara said the party’s main goal is not to grab power but to drive reform and national development.

She acknowledged that the hardship faced by Nigerians under the current administration served as a wake-up call for opposition unity.

“If power comes, we won’t reject it—but that’s not the goal. We want to move Nigeria forward.”

Dalung, Presidency Weigh In

Former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung also defended the coalition, stating that due process was followed and that key stakeholders were present during the leadership transition.

“This wasn’t a hijack. The board of trustees chairman and party members were all in attendance. Kachikwu may simply be out of touch,” Dalung said.

In a separate reaction, Sunday Dare, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communications, dismissed the ADC coalition as self-serving and opportunistic.

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), he described it as a desperate move with no moral or structural foundation.

“This is not about justice or principle. It’s about ambition—naked, avaricious ambition,” Dare wrote.

He further argued that the coalition leader lacks political structure, regional support, or state backing.

“Unlike Tinubu in 2013, he comes into this coalition alone. His ambition is personal, not patriotic,” Dare added.

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