Abuja, July 3, 2025 – Dumebi Kachikwu, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has alleged that the new opposition coalition led by former Senate President David Mark is strategically designed to produce former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential flag bearer for the 2027 elections.

 

Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Kachikwu claimed the coalition’s primary aim is to reclaim political power, with little regard for equitable power rotation or inclusive leadership.

 

“It’s a coalition that has been designed and engineered to produce Atiku Abubakar as its flag bearer, and that is an absolute truth,” Kachikwu stated bluntly.

 

The accusation comes amid the emergence of a fresh opposition alliance, publicly unveiled on March 20 in Abuja. The alliance includes political heavyweights such as Labour Party’s Peter Obi, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—all of whom have thrown their support behind the ADC as the coalition’s platform. The party’s interim leadership is currently headed by David Mark as national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, following the resignation of long-time party leader Ralph Nwosu.

 

While most of the high-profile coalition leaders have not formally joined the ADC, they have publicly pledged allegiance to the party’s new direction. However, Kachikwu—who led the ADC to a fifth-place finish in the 2023 presidential election—has strongly opposed what he described as a hijacking of the party by career politicians.

 

He recounted his initial engagement with the coalition leaders late last year, disclosing that he attended a private meeting at the urging of a close friend. There, he was presented with arguments in favor of uniting opposition forces to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whose administration has drawn criticism despite a mixed record of achievements and setbacks.

 

However, Kachikwu said the turning point came when he raised the issue of zoning and the principle of power rotation between North and South.

 

“I asked a simple question: Since Buhari has done eight years and Tinubu is just in his first term, would the South be allowed to complete its second term under this coalition? Their immediate response was, ‘We are taking our power back.’ That told me everything I needed to know,” he said.

 

 

 

Kachikwu decried what he called a predetermined agenda to sideline southern aspirants, effectively asking him to shelve his political ambitions on the basis of his regional origin.

 

“Now imagine my position as someone who was the flag bearer of a party that came fifth in the last elections. You’re telling me I cannot aspire, just because I’m from the South. That’s a no-no.”

 

 

 

He challenged the coalition’s leaders to publicly declare that the 2027 presidential ticket would be zoned to the South if they are truly committed to fairness and national unity.

 

“I throw this challenge today to the coalition: make a categorical statement that your flag bearer will be from the South. If you do that, you’ll be welcomed through the front door, and a genuine conversation can begin.”

 

 

 

Kachikwu’s strong words underscore growing tensions within Nigeria’s opposition camp as political realignments take shape ahead of the 2027 general elections. His position is likely to spark further debate on the balance of power and the future of the newly formed opposition bloc.