By Segun Ojumu
Abuja, Nigeria – The newly formed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing a significant challenge from within its own ranks, with the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, demanding that the group publicly commit to zoning its 2027 presidential ticket to a candidate from Nigeria’s Southern region.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Kachikwu sharply criticised the coalition, which reportedly includes prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai. Kachikwu described the new alliance as a “backdoor plot” aimed at installing another Northern candidate for the upcoming 2027 elections.
Mr. Kachikwu alleged that the coalition was “carefully crafted from inception” to hand the 2027 presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar, an ambition he labelled a “betrayal of Nigeria’s power rotation principles.”
“Let the coalition today make a bold pronouncement that the 2027 presidential candidate will come from the South. If they do that, we will welcome them through the front door,” Kachikwu stated.
He accused the coalition leaders of orchestrating a “hostile takeover” of the ADC, claiming they are using influential political names to sideline grassroots party members and established structures. “These people attend the same weddings, meetings, and parties. They are old friends. They are not here to rescue Nigeria—they are enemies of progress. We are all victims of a failed system, and these same actors cannot be the ones to save us,” he asserted.
Mr. Kachikwu’s faction of the ADC has appointed Elias Adikwu Abu from Benue State as its national chairman. He condemned the recent unveiling of former Senate President David Mark and former minister Rauf Aregbesola as interim leaders of the party under the new coalition.
He also criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for what he described as a lack of clarity regarding the ADC’s legitimate leadership. “INEC must tell Nigerians who the authentic national chairman of ADC is. This coalition was announced without any legitimate process. The issuance of membership cards to David Mark and Aregbesola is an insult to the party’s constitutional structure,” Kachikwu argued.
Kachikwu further revealed that he has received threats following his rejection of the coalition but vowed not to be intimidated. “I’ve received threats, blackmail, and bullying, but I will not back down,” he said, challenging those promoting the coalition to disclose their tax records and sources of livelihood.
Describing the coalition as a gathering of “political jobbers,” Kachikwu questioned the sincerity of the opposition leaders, noting a perceived lack of representation for Nigerian youths in the new political arrangement. “These are the same people who brought Nigeria to its knees, and now they are branding themselves as a fire brigade. Our youths feel abandoned. Suicide, drug abuse, and social decay are rising because of failed leadership,” he lamented.
Kachikwu also criticised the alleged removal of elected ADC officials in favour of “politically connected elites,” stressing that the party must remain a platform for all Nigerians. He further took aim at certain media outlets, accusing them of fuelling the marginalisation of smaller parties by focusing disproportionately on major candidates in past elections.
Concluding his remarks, Mr. Kachikwu affirmed his intention to pursue legal and institutional redress. He called on Nigerians to reject “recycled leadership” and fight for a truly inclusive political alternative, stating, “Nigeria can no longer afford to be governed by the same set of people. We need a fresh start—and ADC must remain a platform for that hope, not a tool for recycled ambition.”
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