Peter Obi Endorses ADC-Led Mega Coalition for 2027 Nigerian Elections

LAGOS, Nigeria – Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has formally announced his support for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the unified platform for a broad opposition coalition set to challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.

Obi, who confirmed his departure from the Labour Party this week, described the coalition as a “collective effort to confront the entrenched challenges facing the country.” He emphasized the need for unity and “competent, capable, and compassionate leadership” to address Nigeria’s persistent poverty and insecurity. “No one group can change Nigeria alone. To dismantle the structures that keep our people in poverty and insecurity, we must build bridges, not walls—even when those bridges are uneasy,” Obi stated.

The coalition, which was formally unveiled at a high-profile meeting in Abuja, is led by interim chairman Senator David Mark and secretary Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. It brings together prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi. The alliance is widely seen as a strategic move to consolidate opposition votes, which were split in the 2023 elections, allowing Tinubu to win with just 37% of the vote while Abubakar and Obi secured 29% and 25% respectively.

Political analysts suggest the coalition’s unified front could pose the most significant challenge to the APC since the end of military rule in 1999, with some predicting a potential Atiku-Obi ticket for the presidency and vice presidency. However, both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party leaderships have publicly distanced themselves from the coalition, urging their supporters to remain loyal to their respective parties.

Obi’s announcement comes amid heightened political tension, including recent reports of threats against his family, which led him to offer a ₦3 million reward for information on the perpetrators. The ruling APC has dismissed the new coalition as inconsequential, while the Presidency has criticized former Buhari-era appointees for joining the opposition bloc.

With the 2027 elections still two years away, the formation of the ADC-led coalition marks a significant realignment in Nigerian politics, signaling the opposition’s intent to mount a serious challenge to the incumbent administration.