At least five serving governors are expected to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), now the platform for Nigeria’s newly formed opposition coalition, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It is understood that the ADC is leveraging the internal crisis within the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to attract aggrieved governors.
According to one source, a former senator from Katsina State, five governors from the PDP have already given their word but are waiting for what he described as “the end of Wike’s drama in the PDP” before making public moves. He added that discussions with some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors also began as far back as a year ago, and those talks are still active.
The source said, “Five PDP governors have given us their commitment; they are going to join us, but they want to see the end of Wike’s drama in the PDP. Hopefully, we will meet them by the end of their next convention and review things.
“What people don’t know is that some of the governors, including those in the APC, are supporting us. We started this coalition planning 18 months ago, and some APC governors were contacted about a year ago. So, they are with us, but I won’t tell you any names.”
Another source close to one of the coalition leaders, a former governor, confirmed that conversations are ongoing with seven governors across party lines and regions. While declining to reveal names, the source said the governors are from both northern and southern parts of the country and are being carefully engaged to avoid political backlash.
“Why are you interested in knowing the governors we’re talking to? You want us to put everything we’re doing on the pages of a newspaper? No! But I can tell you that we are talking to seven governors, and they are from the southern and northern parts of the country,” the source said.
The move comes just days after key opposition leaders—including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Senate President David Mark—publicly adopted the ADC as the platform for the coalition that aims to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
At a meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, David Mark was announced as the Interim National Chairman of the ADC, while former Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, was named Interim Secretary.
The launch of the coalition was attended by major political figures from both the APC and PDP. Former APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, former Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi were among those who renounced their membership of the APC and pledged allegiance to the ADC. From the PDP, former National Chairman Uche Secondus, former Speaker of the House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal, and former governors of Jigawa, Cross River, Benue, Imo, Niger, and Ebonyi States—Sule Lamido, Liyel Imoke, Gabriel Suswam, Emeka Ihedioha, Babangida Aliyu, and Sam Egwu—have also joined the coalition.
Labour Party senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, Ireti Kingibe, was also present at the unveiling event.
Asked to comment on the governors expected to join the movement, the immediate past National Chairman of the ADC, Ralph Nwosu, declined to offer details, saying the matter was “top secret” and would not be made public at this stage.
“That is a top-secret matter. You can’t hear it from me. If you ask about other matters regarding the coalition, you are very welcome,” he said.
The developments come just weeks after Dr. Sani Dawop, an ADC chieftain in Plateau State, revealed in an interview with Trust TV that six to seven APC governors were already quietly funding the opposition coalition in protest against the direction of the Tinubu-led administration.
“There are a lot of issues happening, and even within the APC, there are those who are not happy with the way things are going,” Dawop had said.
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