Abuja, July 9, 2025 — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has firmly denied speculation that it is supporting any specific candidate ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, amid rising political tension and growing interest from key national figures.
In a statement released Tuesday by Interim National Chairman, Senator David Mark, the party stressed its neutrality, dismissing claims that it is leaning toward former Vice President Atiku Abubakar or any other known contender, including 2023 presidential hopeful Peter Obi and ex-Minister of Transport Rotimi Amaechi.
“The ADC has no preferred or favourite presidential aspirant but has set out to first put out a platform that would be attractive and acceptable to the majority of Nigerians,” Senator Mark stated through his media team in Abuja.
He emphasized the party's focus on unity and national stability:
“We are doing this because we do not want this great ship called Nigeria to sink. If we do not rise up—and now—they will sink all of us.”
Mark’s comments come in response to recent accusations from Dumebi Kachikwu, the ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, who alleged that the interim leadership was showing partiality toward Atiku Abubakar.
Rejecting the claims, Senator Mark declared:
“I don’t own this party more than any of our members. I urge all members to prepare to show Nigerians that ADC is a different party—one ready to properly run democracy in our country.”
He called on Nigerians to rally around the ADC as a credible alternative, promising a transparent primary process and a commitment to democratic values.
Onanuga Sparks Controversy with Deleted Coup Claim
Meanwhile, in a separate political development, President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, briefly stirred controversy online after suggesting that enemies of the administration were plotting to unseat the President.
In a post made Tuesday on X (formerly Twitter)—and later deleted—Onanuga claimed the Tinubu government was under coordinated attack by “haters of Nigeria’s progress.”
“They are banding together to overthrow an administration that has been the most focused, most transformative in our history,” Onanuga wrote, referencing a 2022 warning from the Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II: “It’s not going to be easy. If anybody tells you it would be easy, don’t vote for him.”
While the post was quickly removed, it sparked questions and debate online about the administration’s stability and its critics’ motivations.
As Nigeria looks toward the 2027 elections, tensions appear to be rising across both ruling and opposition camps, with parties scrambling to define their platforms and control public narratives.