The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has stated that the party does not have and does not intend to endorse any anointed candidate as its presidential flagbearer for the 2027 elections.
The ADC stated that all presidential aspirants on the party’s platform would participate in a primary election, and the party would ensure a level playing field for all aspirants.
This position was made known on Sunday by the party’s Interim National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, while speaking with journalists in Abuja.
Specifically, Abdullahi clarified that all presidential aspirants on the party’s platform, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi and all others, understand the principles oTf democracy and are committed to the process.
He added that it is the supporters of the politicians who are clamouring that their own preferred candidate must emerge as the ADC flagbearer to contest against President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Abdullahi, however, made it clear that the ADC has no hidden agenda or preferred candidate.
“I have not heard Peter Obi or Atiku Abubakar say if it’s not them, then it’s nothing. It’s their supporters or people who purport to speak for them that are saying this.
“Whether it’s Peter Obi or Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or any other aspirants on the platform of the African Democratic Congress, understand that this is democracy, and we are not going to anoint any aspirant or candidate.
“Like our chairman has emphasised, we don’t have a predetermined agenda. We don’t have any favourite candidates. We are going to provide a level playing ground and a transparent process for the emergence of our presidential candidate.
“I’m not aware, therefore, that any of these aspirants have directly said that it’s either them or they are no longer part of the coalition.
“It’s ok for supporters to continue to say what they want to say, but they don’t necessarily represent the sentiments of people that they claim to support. And that’s why we say that for us in ADC, we are going to maintain strict internal democracy.
“And if anybody has any preferred aspirants or candidates, what I would advise them is to get a membership card of the ADC so that they will be in a position to vote for these aspirants when the time comes to elect a candidate for the party,” Abdullahi stated.
When asked about potential legal challenges the ADC might face and which the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) might want to explore to destabilize the party, Abdullahi noted that the ADC followed due legal processes in its emergence as a political party.
He agreed that some individuals have gone to court on some issues, but assured that the ADC is on solid legal ground.
“We’re not aware of any encumbrance. There’s no encumbrance as far as I know.
“Yes, you are right, some individuals have said they are going to court or have gone to court. But like I repeatedly said, it’s possible that they don’t have the correct information. For us in the ADC, we are confident that we are on solid legal grounds in everything that we have done.
“This didn’t just happen overnight; it took a very long time because we knew the kind of challenges that we are faced with. And we know that once we leave any legal loophole, the ruling party will not hesitate to take advantage of it to destabilise our party the way they’ve done to other opposition parties,” the ADC spokesperson said.
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