ADC: 2027 Presidency Will Be Based on Merit, Not Zoning

ADC: 2027 Presidency

As momentum builds toward Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has declared that it is not preoccupied with zoning the presidency. Instead, the party says its priority is to build a strong, grassroots-driven political structure and deliver a people-centered governance model that breaks with the country’s history of regional power-sharing.

Speaking in Abuja, the ADC’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, stressed that the party’s vision goes beyond winning the presidency it is about transforming Nigeria’s political culture from the ground up.

“We are not obsessed with zoning. Our focus is on building capacity across all levels of governance governorships, the Senate, House of Representatives, and state assemblies. The ADC is not just here to contest. We’re here to offer a credible, issue-based alternative,” Abdullahi said.

Abdullahi said Nigeria’s dominant political parties the APC and PDP have often prioritized power-sharing over competence and national unity. The ADC, he said, was founded as a deliberate intervention, offering Nigerians a clear and credible alternative.

“We are not another coalition formed simply to grab power. The ADC is built on values, ideas, and real solutions to the country’s challenges. Unlike the APC, which was a marriage of political convenience in 2013, the ADC emerged to address Nigeria’s drift toward a one-party state and restore meaningful opposition,” he added.

He noted that opposition in Nigeria has been weakened over the past decade, leaving the ruling party without checks and the nation without visionary leadership.

According to Abdullahi, the ADC is investing in community-led political structures, building from the grassroots upward rather than depending on celebrity figures or short-term momentum.

“Political change does not begin in Abuja or Lagos. It starts in the communities. In the South-East and South-South, we have strong organizers building real structures. In the South-West, our Ekiti rally drew huge crowds, and we’ve seen renewed energy in Osun under Aregbesola’s influence. Across Nigeria, something is stirring, and the ADC is giving it shape,” he said.

The party, he said, is redefining opposition politics in Nigeria not through noise, but through principles, ideas, and purpose-driven strategies.

“Ours is not politics of bitterness. It’s politics of solutions. The ADC is here not just to oppose, but to propose a new vision for Nigeria credible, organized, and responsive to the needs of the people.”

Meanwhile, Dr. Umar Ardo, Secretary of the Coalition’s Sub-Committee on the Feasibility of Registering a New Political Party, clarified that the coalition is not abandoning its application for the registration of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) with INEC.

He explained that the adoption of the ADC by the coalition does not mean the end of the ADA initiative. Rather, it’s part of a two-pronged political strategy.

“Yes, the ADC is the current platform of engagement, but our application for ADA is still active. The process is ongoing with INEC, and we expect clarity soon. Both paths are strategic and complementary,” Ardo said.

He also addressed confusion caused by the appointment of Senator David Mark as ADC chairman, which led some to believe the ADC had fully absorbed the coalition.

“That appointment caused misperceptions, but let me assure Nigerians the ADA project remains alive and integral to our broader plan,” Ardo said.

Ardo underscored the importance of registering a new party like ADA, which he said represents more than a tactical move—it is a strategic step to unite fragmented opposition forces and offer Nigerians a credible, authentic alternative in 2027.

“Nigerians are tired of the failure and economic hardship under the Bola Tinubu administration. ADA will be a rallying point for change,” he said.

He revealed that former Governor Rotimi Amaechi chaired the coalition’s feasibility committee, which concluded that a new party could reenergize democratic participation and offer citizens real hope beyond recycled political elites.

With a two-pronged strategy that includes revitalizing the ADC and pursuing ADA registration, the coalition of opposition forces is positioning itself to reshape Nigeria’s political future. Whether through reformed opposition politics, grassroots mobilization, or alternative platforms, the message is clear: 2027 won’t be business as usual.

As Abdullahi put it:

“We are not offering just a new party. We are offering a new way of doing politics principled, prepared, and people-first.”

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