The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is considering leaving its presidential ticket open to all eligible aspirants from both the North and South ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The decision, reached at the party’s National Caucus meeting in Abuja, signals a shift from the traditional zoning arrangement often used by political parties in Nigeria. ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, explained that the party is focused on strengthening its internal structures and preparing for a transparent primary rather than limiting the contest to a particular region.
“All aspirants have agreed to rally behind whoever emerges as the winner of the presidential primary,” Abdullahi said, stressing that the process would be fair and devoid of favoritism.
The caucus also directed the National Working Committee (NWC) to set dates for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and to work out modalities for the primaries. Members were further asked to resign from other political parties and concentrate on ADC as the sole platform for the opposition coalition.
The development comes after weeks of deliberations within the opposition bloc, which had initially considered adopting a new platform known as the All Democratic Alliance (ADA). That plan has now been dropped in favor of ADC, with prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Anambra Governor Peter Obi, ex-Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai expected to play key roles in the coalition.
Former Senate President David Mark, who has been providing leadership within the party, reinforced that ADC has “no preferred or favorite aspirant” at this stage. He maintained that the party’s immediate priority is to build a credible platform that Nigerians can trust, after which presidential ambition will be tested through open competition.
While the open ticket proposal has been welcomed by some stakeholders as a democratic approach that allows merit to thrive, others—particularly from the South—have been pushing for zoning of the ticket, citing fairness and equity. For now, ADC’s decision reflects a balancing act aimed at keeping the coalition united as the opposition prepares to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
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