Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s formal defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has triggered sharp criticism across Nigeria’s political landscape, with opponents and analysts branding the move as desperate, destabilising and emblematic of elite political opportunism ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku registered as an ADC member in Adamawa State on Monday, effectively ending his long-standing affiliation with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and formally aligning with a coalition platform he has been promoting as the vehicle to challenge President Bola Tinubu. While his camp describes the move as strategic, critics argue it reflects personal ambition rather than coherent opposition-building.
Political observers say the defection has further exposed the fragility of Nigeria’s opposition, raising concerns that the ADC is being turned into a personal platform rather than a structured national alternative.
Across party lines, Atiku’s decision has been attacked as a career-preserving manoeuvre rather than a principled realignment. His critics point to his history of party-hopping — from PDP to ACN, back to PDP, and now ADC — as evidence that ideology plays little role in his political calculations.
Several political commentators have described the move as “coalition capture”, warning that Atiku’s presence could crowd out younger and less-established figures who were initially drawn to the ADC as a fresh political force.
Within opposition circles, there are fears that the ADC will become another battleground for elite rivalry, rather than a united front capable of mounting a credible challenge to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Although Atiku has promoted the ADC as a unifying platform for opposition heavyweights such as Peter Obi and other disaffected leaders, cracks are already visible. Party insiders privately complain that the process has been top-down and personalised, with major decisions reportedly taken without broad consultation.
There is growing unease that the ADC risks becoming a shelter for political heavyweights displaced from their former parties, rather than a grassroots-driven movement. Critics warn this could alienate ordinary voters who are already sceptical of elite political alliances.
In Adamawa, even some party loyalists have quietly questioned the optics of Atiku only formalising his membership after prolonged public pressure, feeding the narrative that the move was reactive, not visionary.
Atiku’s exit from the PDP a party he helped to build and repeatedly contested presidential elections under has also drawn criticism from within the party. PDP leaders have accused him of weakening the opposition from within before abandoning ship, leaving internal divisions in his wake.
Some party stalwarts described the ADC move as a “political escape route” after years of internal conflict, rather than a bold act of leadership.
Analysts now question whether Atiku’s lingering influence will stabilise the ADC or deepen internal factionalism as ambition shifts towards the 2027 ticket.
Far from creating a united opposition front, Atiku’s defection has intensified debate about the credibility and coherence of Nigeria’s opposition politics. Instead of projecting renewal, the move has been widely interpreted as a sign of recycling of political elites under new party labels.
With nearly three years to the next general election, the ADC now faces the difficult task of convincing Nigerians that it represents change — and not just a rebranding of familiar political faces.
Rather than energising the opposition, Atiku’s jump to the ADC may have deepened public scepticism, reinforcing fears that Nigeria’s political class is more focused on personal survival than national renewal.
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