ADC Pushing for Unity Behind Single Choice for President, Says Abdullahi

The African Democratic Congress is actively exploring a consensus approach for selecting its 2027 presidential candidate, deeming it the most practical and cost-effective option, according to the party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.

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Abdullahi revealed this during his appearance on Arise TV's One-on-One programme on Saturday, explaining that the party has narrowed its candidate selection options to direct primaries and consensus following Electoral Act amendments that eliminated indirect primaries.

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The party's preference for a consensus approach is driven by its cost-effectiveness, with Abdullahi stating that the best-case scenario would be to engineer consensus, which is what they are currently working towards.

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The ADC spokesperson's comments come as the party continues to attract high-profile figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, and ex-Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, who are all presidential hopefuls on the ADC platform ahead of 2027.

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Abdullahi also criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress, arguing that the party's internal cohesion and long-term viability are heavily reliant on President Bola Tinubu's political influence, stating that without power, the APC is essentially nothing.

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He predicted that the APC would unravel quickly after Tinubu, saying that even the party itself would be surprised, and described the APC as a "special purpose vehicle" designed to deliver the presidencies of the late Muhammadu Buhari and Tinubu.

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Abdullahi questioned the APC's apparent anxiety ahead of the 2027 elections, given its significant control of 31 governorships and nearly 90 percent of the National Assembly, wondering why the party is still unsettled by the opposition's growing momentum.

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He argued that in a free and fair election, the APC would not win, and that the party's panic is due to its awareness of this reality, saying "In any free and fair election in Nigeria today, there's no way APC will win."

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Abdullahi concluded that the APC's actions, such as attempting to destabilize other opposition parties, are a testament to its knowledge that it cannot win in a fair election, stating that Nigerians are tired of the party.