Politics

ADC 2027 Race: Obi and Kwankwaso Weigh Joint Ticket as Atiku Looms

Published by admin on January 5th, 2026.

ADC 2027 Race: Obi and Kwankwaso Weigh Joint Ticket as Atiku Looms

Fresh signals suggest that former presidential contenders Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso may be exploring a joint presidential bid ahead of the 2027 general elections, a move that could set up a high-stakes contest against former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The renewed talks are part of broader efforts to forge a united opposition capable of mounting a serious challenge to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027. Both Obi and Kwankwaso contested the 2023 election separately—Obi under the Labour Party (LP) and Kwankwaso on the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP)—after earlier attempts to form an alliance collapsed over disagreements on leadership of the ticket.

Despite running separately, the two politicians posted notable performances in 2023. Obi polled over six million votes nationwide, winning the Federal Capital Territory, Lagos, and the entire South-East, while also galvanising a strong youth-led movement across major urban centres. Kwankwaso, meanwhile, dominated Kano State, leveraging the strength of his Kwankwasiyya movement to secure one of the country’s most influential voting blocs.

Sources familiar with the latest developments told *Daily Trust* that former President Olusegun Obasanjo is actively involved in efforts to reconcile both camps. He is said to believe that an Obi–Kwankwaso alliance presents the opposition’s most viable path to challenging the ruling party in 2027.

According to insiders, Obasanjo has reportedly urged Kwankwaso to consider joining the ADC and accepting the vice-presidential slot under Obi. While Obi formally joined the ADC in recent weeks and has openly expressed interest in contesting in 2027, Kwankwaso remains in the NNPP but has acknowledged ongoing consultations with political stakeholders.

Speaking to supporters in Kano over the weekend, Kwankwaso confirmed that discussions were underway and promised to announce his next political move in due course. One of his close aides also confirmed that talks were ongoing across party lines, stressing the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s worsening insecurity and institutional failures.

“Our position has not been finalised, but high-level engagements are ongoing with key actors across the political spectrum,” the aide said, adding that the movement remained focused on building a viable alternative for Nigerians.

Sources further disclosed that two main strategies are being considered. The first involves Obi and Kwankwaso teaming up to challenge Atiku directly at the ADC primaries, with the belief that their combined political influence could offset Atiku’s entrenched strength within the party.

“Neither Obi nor Kwankwaso, acting alone, is likely to defeat Atiku at the primaries,” one source said. “But together, they believe they can mount a credible challenge.”

However, a fallback option is also reportedly on the table. Should the ADC primaries tilt decisively in Atiku’s favour, promoters of the proposed alliance are said to be considering moving the joint ticket to another political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.

Efforts to obtain comments from Atiku Abubakar’s media team were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. Attempts to reach representatives of the Obidient Movement also did not yield a response.