Politics
2027 Election: Atiku’s Running Mate Finally Revealed, 3 Names Emerge
Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, is said to be weighing his options ahead of the 2027 presidential election, with the candidacy of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso, a pending court case involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the possible entry of former President Goodluck Jonathan identified as major concerns.
Atiku, the presidential candidate of the ADC, is reportedly viewing the 2027 poll as his best chance yet to win the presidency after several previous attempts.
Sources in his camp who spoke with New Telegraph said President Bola Tinubu was not considered the biggest obstacle on Atiku’s political chessboard, arguing that the North may not give the President the level of support he enjoyed in 2023.
Sources said Atiku’s camp was still unhappy over Obi’s exit from the ADC to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), where he later picked Kwankwaso as running mate.
According to the sources, Atiku’s strategists believed an Atiku/Obi ticket would have given the opposition a stronger chance against Tinubu.
An Atiku ally said, “The truth is that Obi’s exit pained Atiku. It shattered all plans. Anybody in ADC that tells you Obi’s exit with Kwankwaso did not pain him is telling you a lie.
“Till date, it still pains because with an Atiku/Obi ticket, there is no doubt that there would surely be a new government on May 29, 2027. But as it is, the situation is what it is. We have to go with alternative plans.”
Atiku’s Considers Running Mate Options
It was gathered that Atiku is now considering other options for the vice-presidential slot.
Those reportedly under consideration include former Imo State governor and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha; Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde; and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Austin Akobundu.
Makinde has already picked the presidential ticket of the Allied Peoples Movement, raising questions over whether the Electoral Act would allow him to move to the ADC.
“Makinde is being considered in line with the Ibadan declaration, where all the opposition parties agreed to field a single presidential candidate,” an Atiku aide said.
Pressure Mounts On Bala
Another concern for Atiku’s camp is the court case filed by Nafiu Bala against the ADC leadership.
Sources said some Northern groups and personalities were pressuring Bala to abandon the case so he would not be seen as working against what they described as a Northern agenda.
It was learnt that Bala had been told that an Atiku or opposition victory over Tinubu should override other considerations.
The report also claimed that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had preferred an Obi/Kwankwaso ticket as the opposition’s unity ticket against Tinubu.
However, some ADC leaders reportedly opposed zoning and insisted that the party should back the strongest candidate, regardless of region.
A party chieftain said, “We were aware that Obasanjo wanted Obi/Kwankwaso as the opposition’s unity candidate, but some people believed that Obi would honour his pact with Atiku. We never expected that he would leave for the NDC.”
Politics
2027 Presidency: Atiku Reportedly Opens Talks With New Party as ADC Faces Deregistration Battle
Fresh reports suggest that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is holding discussions with leaders of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) amid growing uncertainty surrounding the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The development comes in the wake of reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deregistered several political parties, including the ADC, a situation that has triggered fresh calculations among opposition politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Sources familiar with the discussions said Atiku is exploring the possibility of returning to the PRP, a party that played a significant role in Nigeria’s political history. While neither Atiku nor the PRP leadership has officially confirmed the move, the talks have sparked widespread speculation within political circles.
The reported negotiations have generated mixed reactions among Nigerians, with many questioning whether another change of political platform would offer a genuine alternative to the country’s existing political order.
Political analysts say the ongoing developments highlight the fluid nature of Nigeria’s political landscape as major actors reposition themselves ahead of the next presidential election. The possible alliance between Atiku and the PRP could reshape opposition politics and influence coalition-building efforts in the coming months.
As uncertainty continues to surround the future of the ADC and other affected parties, attention is now focused on Atiku’s next political move and what it could mean for the battle for power in 2027.
The latest development adds another layer of intrigue to an election cycle already marked by defections, strategic alliances, and intense political maneuvering, reinforcing expectations that the road to 2027 will be filled with major surprises.
Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has withdrawn his support for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, citing the continued marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone.
Okonkwo’s decision followed the official announcement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirming former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, from the South-South, as Atiku’s vice-presidential running mate for the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo stated that any arrangement excluding the South-East from the top two executive positions in 2027 perpetuates unpardonable injustice against his people.
He emphasized that the region has not produced a President or Vice President since 1999 and noted that the ADC’s founder, Ralphs Nwosu, did not sacrifice leadership of the party in 2025 to enable the marginalisation of his own zone.
Okonkwo maintained that he would not campaign for any presidential ticket that fails to include a person of South-East origin as President or Vice President in 2027.
Okonkwo shared his decision in a statement released on his official X handle:
I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
This Geo-Political Zone has neither produced a President or Vice President since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the President or Vice President in ADC in 2027 will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the National Chairman and the President, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the Vice President in 2027.
I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, Geo-Political Zone, or person will be marginalised.
The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his Vice.
If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as President or Vice in 2027.
Nollywood actor and politician Kenneth Okonkwo has withdrawn his support for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, citing the continued marginalization of the South-East geopolitical zone.
Okonkwo’s decision followed the official announcement by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, confirming former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, from the South-South, as Atiku’s vice-presidential running mate for the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the development, Okonkwo stated that any arrangement excluding the South-East from the top two executive positions in 2027 perpetuates unpardonable injustice against his people.
He emphasized that the region has not produced a President or Vice President since 1999 and noted that the ADC’s founder, Ralphs Nwosu, did not sacrifice leadership of the party in 2025 to enable the marginalisation of his own zone.
Okonkwo maintained that he would not campaign for any presidential ticket that fails to include a person of South-East origin as President or Vice President in 2027.
Okonkwo shared his decision in a statement released on his official X handle:
I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
This Geo-Political Zone has neither produced a President or Vice President since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the President or Vice President in ADC in 2027 will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the National Chairman and the President, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the Vice President in 2027.
I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, Geo-Political Zone, or person will be marginalised.
The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his Vice.
If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as President or Vice in 2027.
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