Ahead of the 2027 general election, strong indications have emerged that Peter Obi, the former Labour Party presidential candidate has concluded arrangements to move fully into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to pursue his presidential ambition.

Multiple sources familiar with the evolving opposition coalition told BusinessDay that discussions around Obi’s formal entry into the ADC have advanced significantly, with party structures already aligning to accommodate his political base and the wider Obidient movement.

The development was confirmed on Tuesday in an exclusive chat with BusinessDay in Abuja by Sam Amadi, former chairman of the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and one of Obi’s close allies.

According to Amadi, the logic of a unified opposition platform has become compelling in the wake of lessons learnt from the 2023 election and the prevailing national mood.

It was gathered that Peter Obi’s loyalists have already begun taking strategic positions within the ADC coalition. Party insiders point to the recent defection of Ireti Kingibe, the senator representing the Federal Capital Territory, and Nenadi Usman, who co-chairs the Kaduna State Working Committee of the multiparty coalition, as evidence that groundwork is being laid ahead of Obi’s expected formal move.

Obi’s anticipated entrance into the ADC’s presidential contest is expected to heighten the stakes at primaries that could also feature Atiku Abubakar, former vice president, Rotimi Amaechi, former Rivers State governor and ex-transport minister, and other heavyweights.

For many opposition figures, the ADC is increasingly viewed as the most viable vehicle for presenting a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.

Amadi said the combination of political forces gathering within the ADC could end the APC’s hold on power by 2027 if the coalition remains intact and disciplined.

He said, “If they’re able to keep all their founding members of the coalition together, and communicate the message that resonate to ordinary Nigerians,” the ruling party could be defeated.

Reflecting on the 2023 election, Amadi said the energy that drove millions of young Nigerians to the polls under the Obidient banner has waned but is not extinguished.

“Nigerians came out in 2023, many of them were the so called obedients, and some of the young people who had faith that perhaps the promised electoral integrity would work. I guess many of them are discouraged, disappointed, but they can be brought back,” he said.

Amadi argued that rebuilding hope would depend on effective mobilisation, credible messaging and a more robust defence of votes. “And if they’re able to communicate and raise hope again, and INEC is better policed, and these guys also fight back against rigging, intimidation, with Tinubu now emerging dark act, using strategy of perhaps forcing, intimidating the opposition, I think they could defeat the government,” he said.

He noted that while many believed the opposition had a clear chance to defeat the APC in 2023, that opportunity was lost due to several factors, including divided opposition votes and widespread allegations of electoral manipulation.

According to him, 2027 presents another opening, provided opposition leaders prioritise unity over individual ambition. “But now, we have another opportunity. So, the first thing is to perhaps create a unified opposition. Not that there will be no other parties, but perhaps let the main politicians agree to come together and build up the ADC,” Amadi said.

He added that Obi’s expected entry would significantly boost the coalition’s prospects. “If Peter Obi comes on board, as he will likely come on board by the end of the year, then that increases the chances that they’re going to be successful,” he said.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC’s national publicity secretary, said the party is focused on strengthening its internal structures nationwide ahead of 2027.

Speaking exclusively with BusinessDay, Abdullahi said the immediate priority is organisational consolidation rather than zoning or ticket permutations. On whether the party has resolved the sensitive issue of zoning its national offices and presidential ticket, he simply said, “Those will come up later.”

Abdullahi disclosed that the party is inclined towards a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate but would not hesitate to conduct primaries if consensus proves elusive. “Right now, what we are doing is engineering the party’s structures and membership drive,” he said.

“For the presidential candidate, we are working on consensus. It is only when that fails that we can think of conducting primaries for the candidates to emerge.”

Within the ADC-led coalition, Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and Peter Obi are widely regarded as frontrunners. However, the alliance has been sharply divided over which region should produce the presidential candidate.

During the chat, Abdullahi downplayed the tension, saying, “When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it.”

Peter Obi, has previously stated that he would serve only one term if elected president in 2027.

In the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party polled 6,984,520 votes, representing 29.07 percent of the total votes cast, to finish second. INEC results showed that Obi, running on the Labour Party platform, secured 6,101,533 votes, or 25.40 percent, winning 11 states, including Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory.

The Labour Party also won the Abia State governorship, 34 House of Representatives seats and seven senatorial seats.

Katchy Ononuju, a chieftain of the ADC, warned that Nigeria is drifting toward a one-party state but insisted the opposition would resist such a trend.

He said, “Already, the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), is scared that its position is under threats.” According to him, “The reactions we are getting from the ruling All Progressive Congress APC, is as a result of fears that the party is under threats due to failing economy, insecurity and hunger ravaging the country.”

Ononuju said pressure on opposition figures was part of a deliberate strategy. “Some of the intimidation, harassment and attacks being directed at the opposition, is part of the move to ensure that there is no strong opposition, because people like Peter Obi are part of the ADC coalition,” he said.

Umar Ardo, a supporter of Atiku Abubakar and a lecturer at the University of Maiduguri, said economic hardship and political discontent could undermine the APC’s grip on the North in 2027.

“No northern governor will be able to deliver the region to the APC in 2027,” Ardo stated, arguing that the ADC has emerged as the party to beat, citing what he described as a “mass exodus of politicians into the party, in the north west.” (BusinessDay)