Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signalling his renewed bid to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku, who has contested for Nigeria’s top job six times between 1993 and 2023, announced the move on Monday via his X handle, sharing a photo of himself holding the party’s membership card with the caption: “It’s official.”
His defection comes months after he resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in July, citing the party’s prolonged leadership crisis. The development now cements his involvement with the ADC, a coalition platform he previously endorsed as a unifying force for opposition figures such as Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal.
Nigerian Newssphere reports that Atiku and other opposition leaders had until now held back from formally registering with the party despite publicly supporting the coalition.
The ADC was unveiled earlier in the year as a broad-based opposition front ahead of the 2027 elections, with former Senate President David Mark emerging as National Chairman, ex-Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola appointed National Secretary, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi named National Publicity Secretary.
