ADC ticket; Atiku, Obi, Amaechi, others to sign unity pact

Presidential hopefuls under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition, including Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi, have agreed in principle to sign a pact committing to support whoever emerges as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.

The deal, which aims to foster unity within the coalition, hinges on the conduct of a transparent primary election—a term the contenders insist must be clearly defined to avoid manipulation.

Former Minister of Transportation and 2023 APC presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, disclosed the development in an exclusive interview.

According to him, while all contenders are open to backing a consensus candidate, the fairness and transparency of the primary process must first be guaranteed.

“What we agreed in principle is that whoever emerges from a transparent primary will be supported by everyone,” Amaechi said.

“But first, we need to define what ‘transparent’ means. It’s easy for someone to hijack a process and still call it transparent.”

The move follows a declaration by ADC interim national chairman, Senator David Mark, who affirmed on July 8 that the party has no preferred candidate.

He assured the public that under his leadership, the ADC would conduct a fair and open process, emphasizing, “We will be absolutely transparent.”

The agreement comes amid intensified jockeying for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has signaled interest in contesting again, while former Labour Party flagbearer Peter Obi has also confirmed his ambition to return to the race, stating that he has not entered any discussions to become a running mate.

Supporters of both Atiku and Obi — who ran together in 2019 — have reignited calls for their candidacies online.

Meanwhile, Amaechi has formally declared his intention to run under the ADC platform, after losing the APC primary to Bola Tinubu in 2023.

Although former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai recently ruled out any 2027 ambitions, former ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu raised concerns about a possible plan by the party’s new leadership to hand the ticket to Atiku.

His claims have fueled ongoing debates over zoning and whether power should rotate back to the North.

In response, ADC national publicity secretary Malam Bolaji Abdullahi said that he was unaware of any agreement among aspirants. However, he reiterated the party’s commitment to fairness.

“I’m not aware of such an agreement,” Abdullahi said. “What I can confirm is that the party will ensure a level playing field and conduct all processes transparently.”

The ADC coalition’s unity pact, if finalized, could reshape the 2027 presidential race by uniting top contenders under a common banner — provided the groundwork for a credible and transparent primary is firmly established.