News, Politics

ADC in Crisis As Atiku’s Sons Clash Over Federal Seat in Adamawa

Published by Samuel Ayomide on March 19th, 2026.

Fresh divisions have erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State, as the political ambitions of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s sons threaten to split the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

Sources familiar with the developments told SaharaReporters that Adamu and Mohammed Atiku are both angling for the House of Representatives ticket in the Jada, Ganye, Toungo, and Mayo-Belwa Federal Constituency. Their parallel pursuits have reportedly divided party members into rival factions, undermining the authority of state Chairman Shehu Yohanna and destabilising the transitional committee led by Barr. Sadiq Ibrahim Dasin.

“The factions are being heavily influenced and funded directly by powerful interests within the Atiku family,” an insider said, describing the situation as “deeply damaging” to the party’s cohesion. According to party sources, the two camps have engaged in persistent counterproductive manoeuvres, each attempting to outflank the other while frustrating reconciliation efforts.

The crisis has taken a political dimension, with both factions accusing the Dasin-led committee of sabotaging Atiku’s presidential ambitions. Although insiders described the claim as baseless, it has been leveraged to discredit party leadership and heighten internal tensions.

The unrest is already affecting key party figures. Babachir David Lawal, a senior chieftain who frequently attended strategic meetings at Atiku’s residence, has reportedly distanced himself amid the deepening feud. Similarly, Abdulaziz Nyako, another prominent party member, is said to be contemplating a return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to avoid entanglement in the escalating conflict.

Adding to the turbulence, sources claim that the Atiku family is considering an internal “family ballot” to determine which son will secure the party ticket for the federal constituency. However, many stakeholders fear the move may come too late, warning that the open factionalism has already eroded trust within the party.

Analysts and insiders have raised concerns over the broader governance of the ADC in Adamawa, particularly amid reports that Atiku is no longer directly funding the party but is instead channeling resources through his children. “It now looks like the party in Adamawa is being run as a family affair,” one party source told The Guardian Nigeria, adding that such dynamics could compromise the party’s credibility in the lead-up to the elections.

The controversy has also sparked unease among loyalists over the optics of a scenario in which the party’s presidential candidate could have a son simultaneously contesting a National Assembly seat,a situation critics say could further damage ADC’s public image.

With the 2027 polls approaching, the ADC in Adamawa faces what insiders describe as a “potential implosion from within,” with urgent intervention seen as necessary to restore unity and prevent the party from collapsing under internal divisions.