JADA, Nigeria — Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has officially joined the African Democratic Congress, marking a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape as opposition figures consolidate ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku registered as a member of the ADC and collected his membership card on Monday, November 24, 2025, at Jada Ward 1 in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State, formalising a move that had been widely anticipated since his departure from the Peoples Democratic Party in July.
The 78-year-old politician, who was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, resigned from the party earlier this year, accusing it of abandoning the principles on which it was established.
He described his exit as “heartbreaking”, saying the party had “strayed from its founding ideals”.
The ADC has recently emerged as the preferred platform for a broad coalition of opposition leaders seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
In May, it was reported that prominent political figures across party lines had agreed to rally behind the ADC in a bid to build a united front.
Among those involved in the coalition are Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation; Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate; Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna State; and John Oyegun, former APC national chairman.
Also in the coalition are Uche Secondus, former PDP national chairman; Sam Egwu, former governor of Ebonyi State; Aminu Tambuwal, former governor of Sokoto State; and Liyel Imoke, former governor of Cross River State.
