The Kwankwasiyya movement has accused the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of failing to clearly explain what they would offer Nigerians ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The movement’s spokesperson, Dr Habibu Sale Mohammed, alleged that the ADC was relying on the political influence of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential hopefuls Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to advance Atiku’s presidential ambition.
Mohammed made the remarks during an appearance on Daily Trust TV’s Day Break on Monday, responding to comments by the NDC vice-presidential candidate who had ruled out an alliance with the ADC over the weekend.
He argued that political parties should convince voters through their policies, ideas and capabilities rather than blame their electoral prospects on politicians who decline to join them.
“Politics should be played, often presenting yourself, your ideas, your capacities and capabilities for Nigerians to make the right choice,” he said.
Mohammed claimed the ADC had calculated that securing the support of Obi and Kwankwaso would strengthen Atiku’s chances in the 2027 race, regardless of whether Nigerians considered him the right candidate.
He argued that the party’s reliance on the two politicians had left it struggling to explain its political position.
The spokesperson also accused the ADC of promoting what he described as a misleading narrative about Kwankwaso’s political alignment.
He alleged that the party was attempting to convince Nigerians that Kwankwaso was working with President Bola Tinubu.
“They want to continue to use this slogan until they believe every Nigerian believes that Kwankwaso is working for Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” Mohammed said.
He also faulted the suggestion that the ADC’s possible failure in the 2027 election would be due to Obi and Kwankwaso refusing to join the party.
According to him, political parties should take responsibility for presenting credible alternatives to voters rather than attributing their difficulties to politicians outside their ranks.
Mohammed defended Kwankwaso’s comments about his relationship with Obi, saying the two politicians had agreed to work together as partners.
He maintained that their relationship was based on shared political interests rather than a convenient arrangement between presidential aspirants.
The spokesperson also argued that both politicians had previously been associated with the ADC but left because, in his view, the party failed to provide a level playing field.
He claimed the ADC was increasingly being viewed as a vehicle for advancing Atiku’s presidential ambition.
Mohammed said the political process should give Nigerians a meaningful choice between competing candidates and policies, rather than leave voters feeling restricted to what he described as a choice between “the evil and the lesser evil”.
The ADC and Atiku’s camp were criticised in the remarks, while Mohammed presented the Kwankwasiyya movement’s position on the emerging political alignments ahead of the 2027 election.
