Only ADC Can Salvage Nigeria, Declares Atiku Abubakar

By George Omagbemi Sylvester

In a dramatic realignment of Nigeria’s fractious political landscape, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has emphatically proclaimed that no political party in Nigeria, also including the dominant All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), can rescue the nation from its deepening economic, security and governance crises except the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The declaration, delivered in late 2025 and referenced in multiple statements and engagements this year, underscores a pivotal strategic shift by one of Nigeria’s most seasoned political figures as the country prepares for the critical 2027 general elections.

Atiku, a former PDP heavyweight and the party’s presidential candidate in both 2019 and 2023, has long been a central figure in Nigeria’s political discourse. His leadership tenure as vice-president from 1999 to 2007 was once lauded for economic reforms, though retrospective scrutiny has challenged some of his claims about that era’s achievements. Amid rising disillusionment with traditional ruling parties, Atiku’s pivot towards the ADC (a smaller but rapidly growing political platform) represents both a bold gamble and a clear repudiation of Nigeria’s entrenched two-party dominance.

The ADC has emerged in recent months as a coalition vehicle for opposition forces seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s APC administration, which critics blame for Nigeria’s persistent inflation, insecurity across the North, and perceived democratic backsliding. Atiku’s adoption of the ADC banner followed protracted negotiations among opposition figures, including former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, ex-governors such as Rauf Aregbesola and Rotimi Amaechi, and other notable leaders disenchanted with the status quo.

Speaking at the inauguration of the ADC’s Taraba State office in Jalingo, Atiku framed his defection (and his endorsement of the ADC) as born of experience and necessity. He asserted that after years of entanglement with major parties like the APC and PDP, it was clear neither possessed the vision or capacity to address Nigeria’s deep structural dysfunctions.

“We have tasted membership of these parties and realised they do not have what it takes to take Nigeria out of its current quagmire,” he said.

Atiku’s remarks triggered immediate and sharp reactions. Adams Oshiomhole, former APC National Chairman and senator representing Edo North, dismissed Atiku’s claims as unrealistic.

Oshiomhole argued that if Atiku could not fix the PDP despite his longstanding influence, it was unreasonable to expect him or any coalition to ‘fix’ the nation. “If Atiku, as a former vice-president under PDP, could not fix PDP, he could not reconstruct it, and he could not provide leadership, how can you lay claim to fix Nigeria?” Oshiomhole queried during a televised interview.

The ADC, led by former Senate President David Mark (National Chairman) and Rauf Aregbesola (National Secretary), has sought to harness this narrative of discontent into a broader movement.

Aregbesola has publicly emphasised that ADC’s organisational philosophy prioritises youth and women’s inclusion (pledging significant representation for these demographics in leadership positions) and portrays the party as a post-partisan alternative that moves beyond the old binaries of Nigerian politics.

Observers point out that Atiku’s embrace of the ADC reflects broader currents in Nigerian public sentiment. A growing proportion of citizens (especially urban youth) have expressed frustration with governance failures and endemic corruption. Policy analysts like Dr. Adebayo Olukoshi, a respected African governance scholar, have argued that “political renewal in Nigeria requires not just new faces but new institutional commitments to accountability and inclusion,” adding that realigning political affiliations around credible alternatives could galvanise reform if matched with substantive policy platforms.

While Olukoshi did not comment on Atiku specifically, his broader analysis resonates with the narratives of systemic failure voiced by Nigerian opposition elites. (Analytical synthesis based on expert commentary traditions; not a direct quote.)

Critically, Atiku’s insistence that only the ADC can salvage Nigeria comes amid internal debates within the party itself. The ADC’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, has cautioned against presenting the party as Atiku’s private vehicle, asserting that the ADC is open to all and that no candidate has been guaranteed its presidential ticket. Abdullahi emphasised that the party remains committed to free and competitive primaries, rejecting the notion of an imposed flagbearer.

Even with this internal pushback and skepticism from opponents, the ADC’s rising profile is unmistakable. High-profile defections from APC, PDP, and Labour Party members signal a broader strategic realignment. These moves are reshaping opposition calculations ahead of the 2027 elections and raising urgent questions about Nigeria’s political future.

As Prof. Claude Ake’s foundational insight into African politics underscores, sustainable change in fragile democracies often requires more than individual ambition: it demands institutional credibility, grassroots organising and principled leadership. Only time will tell whether the ADC, under current configurations, can deliver that in Nigeria’s complex political terrain. (Interpretive contextualisation drawing on Ake’s widely recognised scholarship.)

In the final analysis, Atiku’s proclamation is far more than a campaign slogan: it encapsulates the opposition’s existential challenge, forging unity across deep fissures, convincing a skeptical electorate, and offering a genuine alternative to decades of unfulfilled political promises. What happens next could very well define Nigeria’s democratic trajectory for years to come.