Any ADC presidential candidate among us we shall all support – Atiku, Obi, Amaechi, others agree

By KEMI KASUMU

Against postulations by ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and Tinubu’s supporters saying no Southern candidate can defeat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election, despite his noted 91 percent disapproval rating across the country especially in North and South, potential presidential figures in the unwavering opposition coalition party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have stunted them by reaching a compromise to submit all individual personal interests to the collective interest of the party, which is national interest and patriotism.

The DEFENDER reports that the ADC’s presidential hopefuls concluded to their decision decision documented by signing an agreement to work and support whoever emerges among the quality-all as the party’s presidential candidate, it was gathered Saturday night.

They reached this agreement in principle although the major contenders would still have to also define what on morality for primary election that will bring about emergence of that candidate and how the exercise will be conducted, according to a disclosure credited to former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, who reportedly spoke to exclusively to LEADERSHIP Newspaper on the matter.

It would be recalled that the ADC’s Interim National Chairman, Senator David Mark, had on Tuesday July 8, 2025 declared that the party had no preferred candidate and assured that under his leadership, it would be “absolutely transparent.”

Mark made the declaration in his clarification following posturing by top members of the coalition for the party’s presidential ticket.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had hinted on his 2027 ambition while receiving a delegation of Gombe stakeholders at his Abuja residence recently and subsequently denied attending a meeting where he was pressured to step down for a southern aspirant.

Similarly, former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in a recent interview, declared his intention to contest the presidency, adding that he had not had dialogue with anyone to be a vice presidential candidate in 2027.

While loyalists of both leaders, who ran a joint ticket in 2019, have been pushing their principals’ candidacy, especially on social media, former transportation Minister, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has also declared his intention to take another shot at the presidential contest in 2027 under the ADC banner.

The former Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly contested and lost the presidential ticket of the APC in 2023 to President Bola Tinubu. Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai had in an interview disclosed that he had no ambition – meaning

But former ADC presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, had alleged that the party, under the new leadership, intends to give its ticket to the North and specifically to Atiku.

His claim came against the backdrop of the contentious debate over whether or not power at the center should remain in the south or rotated to the North.

This debate was one of the key factors in the 2023 presidential election won by President Bola Tinubu of the APC which zoned its ticket to the south after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight year tenure from the North.

However, Amaechi clarified that the agreement to support whoever emerges candidates would revolve around a common understanding of what a transparent primary is.

The former Rivers State governor said, “What we agreed in principle, and I must say there is a need to lay the cards on the table – what we agreed is that whoever emerges from a transparent primary will be supported by everyone.

“But first, we need to sit down and define what we mean by transparent because it’s easy for someone to hijack the process and still call it transparent,” he said.

However, the National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, reportedly said that he is not aware of such an agreement.

The party spokesman however said the party is committed to providing a level playing field for aspirants.

Bolaji said, “I am not aware of any such agreement. What the party is committed to is that it will provide a level playing ground for everyone and be transparent in its dealings.”