2027: Only PDP can challenge APC, Wike taunts ADC

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the formation of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, insisting that the group lacks credibility and cohesion to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027. Daily Trust had reported that the coalition, comprising key political figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential […]

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the formation of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, insisting that the group lacks credibility and cohesion to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027.

Daily Trust had reported that the coalition, comprising key political figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Presidential Candidate of the LP in 2023, Peter Obi, and other opposition leaders, formally unveiled the ADC as its new platform on Wednesday at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.

At the event, former Senate President, David Mark, was named interim National Chairman, while  former Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, was appointed interim National Secretary

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Thursday, Wike said: “There is no coalition. The opposition has decimated themselves. The only party that can, if they put themselves well, challenge this government is the PDP.”

The minister accused Mark of attempting to hijack the PDP leadership before defecting to become the interim chairman of the ADC-led coalition.

“David Mark wanted to be chairman of the party and we said no. When they were saying the chairman should come back to North Central, we said no. We stood our ground.

“Now he has gone to take chairman of coalition. Let me see who Nigerians will listen to,” he said.

The minister also took a swipe at Momodu, describing him as politically irrelevant.

“Dele Momodu was never my friend. He is somebody who said he ran for presidency—he didn’t get one vote—and that one is in the coalition.”

Wike accused Atiku of repeated defections purely for personal ambition.

“Atiku was in PDP, he left and joined AC, from AC, he came back to PDP, left again and joined the APC, then came back to PDP—and now he has left again and joined the ADC. Dem born you, born everytime leave, leave. They just want where they will be in charge,” he said.

He further questioned the motives of former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, hinting that his participation in the coalition was motivated by political rejection.

“If El-Rufai… if the president did not dump him, would there have been a coalition on his part?”