Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has reaffirmed his commitment to support whoever wins the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket for the 2027 elections, even as the party navigates a leadership crisis.
In a recent DW Hausa interview that went viral, Atiku spoke about the tension following the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) decision to de-recognize David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe led leaderships. The electoral body stated it will not engage either faction until a federal high court resolves the ongoing case.
Despite the uncertainty, Atiku emphasized that unity is the top priority for members aligned with the Mark-led leadership. He reminded supporters of an internal agreement to rally behind the party’s chosen candidate.
He said, “We promised that whoever got the ticket, we would support them. Now, there are only three or four people left in the race, but when we were contesting in the PDP, there were more than 10 of us.”
Atiku also highlighted a growing youth movement within the party. He described the ADC as increasingly becoming a platform for young Nigerians, with many youth now leading campaigns from local councils to state and national assemblies.
“Youth are dominating the party now. Whoever you see planning to contest, from councillor to governor, they are all young people. We already said our party is for youth and women; we want to win and give it to them,” he said.
Addressing concerns that the leadership crisis could weaken the party, Atiku insisted that ADC membership continues to grow nationwide and that recent tensions have not discouraged supporters.
“People from every state are registering as members, and because of that, I don’t believe the events of two or three days ago have discouraged anyone at all,” he added.
He also accused external forces of trying to destabilize the party, suggesting that these efforts are meant to slow down ADC’s rising influence ahead of the next general election.
“Of course, we shouldn’t have to say it, but this is external interference. They are using someone because they see our party getting stronger every day, and they think it will be a challenge to them if we continue to grow,” Atiku said.
