We have no preferred presidential aspirant in ADC – David Mark
The interim national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, has said that the party has no preferred aspirant for its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election. Addressing stakeholders of the ADC’s Kogi State chapter at a meeting in Abuja yesterday, Mark said the party would adopt a transparent process in […]
david mark
The interim national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, has said that the party has no preferred aspirant for its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Addressing stakeholders of the ADC’s Kogi State chapter at a meeting in Abuja yesterday, Mark said the party would adopt a transparent process in selecting its candidates for the election.
Daily Trust reports that a coalition of opposition forces formally adopted the ADC last Thursday as the political platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
The coalition, led by former vice president and 2023 PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, was formed to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the next general election.
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At the adoption event, David Mark and former interior minister Rauf Aregbesola were announced as interim national chairman and secretary of the party, respectively.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the last election, Peter Obi, and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi—both members of the new coalition—have expressed interest in the ADC’s 2027 presidential ticket, each pledging to serve only a single four-year term if elected.
Atiku Abubakar has also hinted at another run.
However, Mark stated: “The ADC has no preferred or favourite presidential aspirant. We have set out to first build a platform that would be attractive and acceptable to the majority of Nigerians.”
The former Senate President added: “We are doing this because we do not want this great ship called Nigeria to sink. If we don’t rise now, they will sink all of us.
“I don’t own this party more than any other member, and I urge everyone to prepare to show Nigerians that ADC is a different party—a party ready to run democracy properly in this country. All Nigerians must come together and take ownership of the ADC.”
He urged party members to set aside differences and unite: “We must bond together to build the party before we can talk of ambitions.”
Mark also criticised the APC, calling on its members to focus on policies rather than attacking individuals.
“If they admitted insecurity is bad and promised to fix it but made it worse, would Nigerians continue to support them? The answer is no. Let’s work together to rebuild our nation and prioritise future generations,” he said.
PDP members in Adamawa, Gombe, Yobe, Borno defect to ADC
It was gathered that Yobe and Borno states, traditionally strongholds of opposition parties since the APP-ANPP days and later the APC, are witnessing growing support for the ADC.
This follows widespread perception that President Tinubu may drop Vice President Kashim Shettima as running mate in 2027—an issue reportedly eroding APC’s base in the region.
Also fuelling discontent are economic hardships and alleged lopsided appointments and project allocations, as recently raised by Senator Ali Ndume.
In Yobe, PDP founding member and Board of Trustees member, Adamu Maina Waziri, announced his resignation from the party and formal defection to the ADC.
He made the announcement at Dogo Tebo Ward in Potiskum, fulfilling the PDP constitutional requirement to resign at the ward level.
Waziri reportedly defected along with the 17 local government PDP chairmen in Yobe. However, PDP state secretary Umaru Duddaye dismissed this claim, saying those who left were former executives not recognised under the current state leadership.
“I want to tell you that in all the LGAs, no sitting exco has resigned. They are ex-chairmen and officials who didn’t participate in our last congress. If they don’t recognise us, why did they tender their resignation letters to us?” he said.
In Borno, ADC chairman Mohammed Umar Bolori said 18 PDP LGA chairmen have resigned and are expected to join the ADC.
“We’ve learnt that 18 of the 27 PDP local government chairmen have resigned. Many people are registering online, so I can’t give an exact figure yet, but the defections are a tsunami,” he said.
Bolori also claimed the entire PDP structure in Yobe had left Damagum and joined Waziri in the ADC.
He added that modalities are in place to receive more defectors from various political parties, with most coming from the PDP, followed by the APC.
“Many have submitted their resignation letters, while a large number have already registered physically and online,” he said.
He confirmed seeing the resignation letters of two Borno PDP governorship aspirants—Idris Mamman Durkwa and Mohammed Umara Kumalia—as well as Borno South senatorial hopeful Mshelia Haske. He noted that Kumalia had registered with the ADC.
Asked whether Borno coalition leader Kashim Imam Matawale had joined the ADC, Bolori said, “I don’t think so, but we’re going to sit with him soon.”
However, PDP legal adviser in Borno, Barrister Ali Azir, dismissed the defectors as political liabilities.
“I know Kumalia and Durkwa have left, but the others are insignificant. Some names mentioned are unknown. Our structure remains intact—state, LGA, ward levels. No structure has completely defected to the ADC. It’s a lie,” he said.
But Hon. Sheriff Banki, a youth mobiliser and stakeholder, said they left the PDP with thousands of supporters.
“Durkwa led a massive defection from PDP and other parties in Maiduguri a few days ago. People are resigning daily, including from the APC,” he said.
Similarly, the BBC Hausa reported that mass defection of PDP members have been recorded in Adamawa, Yobe, and Gombe states.
It reported that in Adamawa, at least 10 PDP local government chairmen defected to the ADC.
Hon Umar Jada, an aide to a former Adamawa governor and one of the defectors, said: “The most recent was in Girei LGA where the entire PDP structure—including the vice chairman, executives and all ward leaders—joined the ADC.”
He added that defections had occurred in several other LGAs.
“In the remaining eight LGAs, you can’t find any political heavyweight left in the PDP. I’ve lost count—it’s massive,” he said.
think so, but we’re going to sit with him soon.”
However, PDP legal adviser in Borno, Barrister Ali Azir, dismissed the defectors as political liabilities.
“I know Kumalia and Durkwa have left, but the others are insignificant. Some names mentioned are unknown. Our structure remains intact—state, LGA, ward levels. No structure has completely defected to the ADC. It’s a lie,” he said.
But Hon. Sheriff Banki, a youth mobiliser and stakeholder, said they left the PDP with thousands of supporters.
“Durkwa led a massive defection from PDP and other parties in Maiduguri a few days ago. People are resigning daily, including from the APC,” he said.
Similarly, the BBC Hausa reported that mass defection of PDP members have been recorded in Adamawa, Yobe, and Gombe states.
It reported that in Adamawa, at least 10 PDP local government chairmen defected to the ADC.
Hon Umar Jada, an aide to a former Adamawa governor and one of the defectors, said: “The most recent was in Girei LGA where the entire PDP structure—including the vice chairman, executives and all ward leaders—joined the ADC.”
He added that defections had occurred in several other LGAs.
“In the remaining eight LGAs, you can’t find any political heavyweight left in the PDP. I’ve lost count—it’s massive,” he said.
We’re not threatened – PDP
The PDP, however, says it is unbothered by the defections.
Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Ibrahim Abdullahi told Daily Trust that only a few members were leaving.
“If a few people are decamping, it’s not an issue. In Adamawa, for instance, you can’t have a figure like Atiku in the party without a handful following him. It’s the same in Gombe and Yobe,” he said.
“Aside from these North East states, no other northern state is seeing this pattern—not in Sokoto or the North Central. We have nothing to fear.”
In Gombe, the PDP held an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to reinforce internal unity and assess its current standing.
A communiqué issued by State Publicity Secretary Abdulkadir Ahmad Dukku said the meeting—convened by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo—was attended by state executives, LGA chairmen, and elders.
It directed all local government and ward chairmen to hold regular meetings to keep members engaged with the party’s activities and strategic plans.
“The unity of PDP in Gombe State is sacrosanct, and all leaders must uphold it,” the communiqué read.
It also encouraged the party’s incoming national leadership to pursue alliances that can unseat the APC.
The communiqué reaffirmed PDP’s determination to reclaim and maintain dominance in Gombe and applauded the grassroots mobilisation efforts of its members across the 11 LGAs.
No secret meeting against ADC – APC
Meanwhile, the APC has denied claims by the ADC that its state chairmen in the North East and North West were summoned to a secret meeting with federal officials to intimidate the opposition.
In a statement yesterday, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka dismissed the allegations, describing them as false and desperate.
“Days after its dreary unveiling, the ADC is already trudging the path of lies like the PDP and Labour Party,” the statement read.
“There was no such meeting. No one was coerced or intimidated. This exists only in the imagination of masters of deception who invaded the ADC.”
The party said President Tinubu and the APC had no interest in sowing discord in a party already weakened by internal contradictions.
“The ADC needs no help from us to unravel. Its gestapo-like takeover has alienated bona fide leaders and members.
“As a desperate alliance for presidential power, the ADC has no vision or offering for Nigeria beyond grudge and personal ambition.”
The APC said the Tinubu administration remains focused on building a vibrant country for future generations.
By Saawua Terzungwe, Baba Martins (Abuja), Hamisu Matazu (Maiduguri), Haruna Gimba Yaya (Gombe) & Sani Ibrahim Paki (Kano)