The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced that it will serve as the coalition platform for opposition parties preparing to challenge the ruling party in the 2027 general elections. The declaration was made by the National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralph Nwosu, during the party’s National Executive Committee meeting held on Thursday in Abuja.
Nwosu, who spoke through the Chairman of ADC’s Board of Trustees, Mani Ahmed, said the decision to position the ADC as a unifying platform for opposition forces was reached after long consultations and internal restructuring aimed at accommodating new political actors. According to him, the move is part of a broader effort to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape and provide an alternative path to leadership.
“This consensus building, though very painstaking, has taken some time in the pipeline,” Nwosu said. “I can categorically today, by the grace of God, inform you that the African Democratic Congress is the coalition party in Nigeria. What remains to be done is nothing other than dotting the I’s and crossing the G’s.”
Nwosu described the development as a major opportunity for Nigerians who are tired of the current system to unite under one umbrella. He said, “We are inviting every Nigerian that has the love of this country in their heart to join us in this new crusade to bring about an enduring democratic change in our country by coming into our party, the African Democratic Congress, which can easily be seen as the African Democratic Coalition.”
The announcement comes amid increasing calls for opposition parties to form a united front against President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election. In March 2023, leading opposition figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), had publicly declared the formation of a political coalition for 2027.
Nwosu used the occasion to express concern about the country’s economic and social conditions. He said many Nigerians are finding it increasingly difficult to survive, and that good governance is the only lasting solution to the nation’s challenges. “Statistics have indicated that about 5 million Nigerians have been added to the list of poverty-stricken people in the world on an annual basis. This is sad for a country that is richly endowed with enormous resources,” he lamented.
He stressed that the ADC has remained consistent in its vision for Nigeria since its formation over two decades ago, even though it has never had the chance to govern at the national level. “We have shown commitment to national growth. We have exhibited the highest levels of nationalism and patriotism. And we have made several sacrifices to ensure that we bequeath to our next generation a country better than the one we have met,” Nwosu said.
He added that the party has undergone major reforms in recent months to make it more inclusive and open to the growing number of political players looking for a new platform. “The journey that created this opportunity started a very long time ago. And we have had several meetings at the party in order to open up the party, re-engineer our processes, and be able to accommodate the teeming members of the political class that are willing and have lined up to join our great party.”
The ADC Chairman also called for more involvement of civil society and grassroots organisations in the political process, saying politicians alone cannot solve Nigeria’s problems. “We have also involved civil society organisations as well as grassroots organisations. Because ADC strongly believes that all politics is grassroots politics,” he stated.
He praised the commitment of these non-political groups, saying they have helped keep the party grounded in the real struggles of ordinary Nigerians and have shown resilience in pushing for change.
With the declaration of the ADC as the coalition party, Nigeria’s political space may be heading into a new phase ahead of the 2027 elections, with attention now shifting to how opposition parties will work together under a single platform to mount a credible challenge.
