Atiku Abubakar Dumps PDP, Joins ADC to Strengthen Opposition Ahead of 2027

|By Adejumo Adekunle

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally entered the African Democratic Congress (ADC), solidifying weeks of speculation about his next political move and setting the stage for a stronger opposition bloc ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Atiku announced his membership on Monday via his X handle, where he posted a photo of himself holding his ADC membership card with the caption, “It’s official.”

His decision comes months after he resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July following a prolonged internal crisis that fractured the party’s cohesion. The move also cements his alignment with the coalition-backed ADC, which he publicly endorsed in July as a united platform for key opposition figures—including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal—to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.

Before now, Atiku and several opposition leaders had held back from formal registration with the ADC despite supporting its coalition agenda.

The ADC, unveiled earlier this year as the main opposition platform for the 2027 race, has former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman, ex-Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi as National Publicity Secretary.