Tension Mounts as ADC Begins Takeover of PDP Structures in Northern Nigeria

Tension Mounts as ADC Begins Takeover of PDP Structures in Northern Nigeria

 

...Opposition realignment shakes 2027 political space amid defections, denials, and fierce rhetoric

 

There is palpable tension and panic within the camp of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) makes bold moves to consolidate its presence across northern states, taking over the structures of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Yobe, Gombe, Adamawa, and other parts of the region.

 

The development is part of broader realignment efforts ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the ADC aiming to unify aggrieved factions from the PDP, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), and other opposition groups under a single platform.

 

Despite claims of major defections, top political figures, including Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum and former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, have distanced themselves from reports suggesting they are defecting to the ADC.

 

ADC Claims Momentum, PDP Downplays Reports

 

Confirming the takeover of PDP structures in several northern states, Paul Ibe, spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said, “The movement is gaining traction… The Yobe PDP executive has aligned with the ADC, as has Gombe’s. The Adamawa executives have also pledged their loyalty.”

 

Ibe hailed Atiku’s leadership in rallying opposition groups, stating the movement was a “necessary antidote” to prevent Nigeria from sliding into a one-party dictatorship.

 

But PDP State Chairmen Forum chairman and Imo PDP boss, Austin Nwachukwu, dismissed the defections as overblown and politically motivated.

 

“These are fake news designed to attract public sympathy,” Nwachukwu said. “Many of these politicians are over 70 years old… What are they still looking for? Retirement funds, not national service.”

 

ADC: We’re the Viable Alternative

 

Bolaji Abdullahi, Interim National Spokesperson for the ADC, said the party was rapidly emerging as the credible opposition to challenge the APC in 2027.

 

“Our focus is on the precarious state of the nation,” Abdullahi told Vanguard. “This is not about personal ambitions. It’s about rescuing Nigeria. You will see more alignments from the PDP, LP, SDP, and NNPP.”

 

Abdullahi accused the Tinubu-led government of “weaponising poverty” and “prioritising optics over genuine solutions,” particularly in recent food security reform announcements.

 

Zulum, Obi Distance Themselves

 

Governor Zulum, reacting to rumours that he and five other APC governors planned to defect to the ADC, dismissed the claims as “baseless and mischievous.”

 

“My loyalty to the APC remains firm,” Zulum said in a statement. “We have no time for cheap politics.”

 

Similarly, Peter Obi clarified during a Channels TV interview that while he supports the opposition coalition, he remains in the Labour Party for now.

 

“The coalition adopted the ADC as a working platform for 2027, but I remain in the LP,” Obi said. “We are working together for a better Nigeria. The idea is not about leaving one party, but building something bigger.”

 

He also reiterated his intention to run for president, saying, “I’m going to contest for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I believe I am qualified for it.”

 

APC Reacts: “It’s a Political Fraud”

 

Dr. Ajibola Basiru, APC National Secretary, dismissed the coalition as “a political fraud and deception,” likening it to a mere transfer of “displaced politicians” from one party to another.

 

“This is not a coalition. This is a desperate move by those who have failed in their original parties,” Basiru said. “They accused us of building a one-party state, but now they’re doing the same by collapsing into the ADC.”

 

Wike Goes on the Offensive

 

FCT Minister Nyesom Wike launched scathing attacks on several ADC leaders during a thanksgiving event in Abuja, describing former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as a failure who “couldn’t solve Nigeria’s passport crisis.”

 

Wike also ridiculed other prominent ADC-linked figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, and ex-Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi, accusing them of “serial defections” and self-serving political careers.

 

“These are the same people who want to rescue Nigeria? They want to rescue their stomachs, not the country,” Wike said.

 

What Next for 2027?

 

As the ADC expands its influence, the political temperature continues to rise. While some political actors welcome the coalition as a means to strengthen democracy, others warn it may be driven by recycled ambitions and opportunism.

 

For now, the ADC’s growing momentum, PDP’s internal resistance, and the APC’s dismissal all point to a volatile build-up to what could be one of Nigeria’s most contentious elections in recent history.