2027: Opposition Crisis Deepens as ADC, NDC Clash…Kwankwaso Accuses Atiku of Attacking Obi

By Editor

The opposition camp ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election has been rocked by fresh tensions as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) trade accusations over efforts to unite behind a single candidate.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NDC vice-presidential candidate, has ruled out withdrawing the party’s presidential ticket, featuring Peter Obi, in favour of the ADC or any other party. He also accused the ADC Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) of targeting him, Obi and the NDC with unnecessary attacks.

The dispute follows allegations by the ADC campaign council that Kwankwaso was advancing President Bola Tinubu’s political interests by urging former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to step aside for Obi ahead of the 2027 election.

Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, made his position known on Sunday in a post on his verified social media account, dismissing suggestions that the NDC might abandon its presidential ambition to support the ADC candidate.

He accused the ADC campaign team of attempting to portray the NDC as a political extension of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), arguing that such allegations were unfounded and intended to undermine his party.

The latest confrontation followed a statement by the ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, who accused Kwankwaso of acting in the interest of Tinubu by calling on Atiku to step aside for Obi.

Ologbondiyan made the allegation on Friday while reacting to Kwankwaso’s interview on Channels Television. He described the former Kano governor’s intervention as self-serving and potentially damaging to efforts to build a united opposition ahead of the election.

The ADC spokesman also questioned why Kwankwaso was directing his attention towards opposition leaders instead of challenging the Tinubu administration, which the council accused of presiding over economic hardship, hunger, poverty and insecurity.

But Kwankwaso rejected the allegations, insisting that the Obi-Kwankwaso ticket remained committed to contesting the presidency and had no intention of stepping aside for the ADC or any other political platform.

“Let me state clearly and unequivocally: we will not withdraw our candidature for the ADC or any other party. We remain confident in our capacity, competence, and readiness to lead Nigeria,” he declared.

He warned that suggestions of a possible NDC withdrawal could be revived closer to election day to mislead party supporters and create confusion within its ranks.

Kwankwaso further insisted that the NDC presidential ticket, which he described as the “OK ticket,” was neither working for the APC nor acting on behalf of Tinubu or any other candidate of the ruling party.

“The OK ticket is neither working for nor acting on behalf of the APC or any of its candidates. We see no possibility or reason to withdraw from the presidential race in favour of the ADC candidate or any other. These claims are unfounded and should be treated as such,” he said.

Turning the allegations against the ADC, Kwankwaso urged its campaign council to concentrate on responding to claims reportedly levelled against its presidential candidate by Vice-President Kashim Shettima rather than attacking the NDC leadership.

Vice President Kashim Shettima has taken a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar over his professional background, claiming that Atiku was trained at the Kano School of Hygiene as a Duba-gari, a Hausa term associated with municipal or environmental sanitation inspection, equivalent to Wole-wole in Yoruba. Shettima made the remark on October 14, 2026, during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, while questioning Atiku’s credentials as an economic commentator.

He reportedly described the former vice president as a “voodoo economist,” arguing that knowledge of tax collection does not automatically translate into expertise in economics. The comments have added another dimension to the political exchanges between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.

“The ADC-PCC would be better served directing its energy toward rebutting the serious allegations levelled against their candidate by the Vice President, His Excellency Kashim Shettima, instead of targeting me and His Excellency Peter Obi,” he stated.

The latest exchange underscores the growing divisions within Nigeria’s opposition as political leaders struggle to agree on a common strategy for challenging the APC in 2027.

With disagreements over candidate selection, political alliances and the possibility of a last-minute withdrawal continuing to fuel tensions, the ADC-NDC confrontation raises fresh questions about whether opposition parties can overcome their differences and present a united challenge to the ruling party.