A spokesman for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that major opposition figures have agreed to rally behind the former vice president ahead of the 2027 general election.
Kenneth Okonkwo, a Nollywood actor and ADC campaign official, told Channels Television on Thursday that the opposition had collectively chosen Atiku as its candidate. He said this consensus gave Atiku the legitimacy to challenge President Bola Tinubu to a presidential debate.
“I can tell you that all the opposition candidates have come together and chosen Atiku Abubakar,” Okonkwo stated.
According to him, the opposition coalition formally adopted the ADC as its political platform on 2 July 2026. He insisted that several key figures, including 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, were present when the decision was taken.
Okonkwo described Atiku as the leader of the opposition and argued that the former vice president’s debate challenge to Tinubu was issued from that position of authority.
He also addressed the status of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the platform Obi joined after leaving the ADC. Okonkwo claimed that, based on a court judgment currently under appeal, the NDC remains a political association rather than a fully registered political party.
“NDC came into opposition on December 10 through a court order. Legally speaking, it’s a political association and not a party, according to the judgment of the court, and they are now appealing,” he said.
Taking a direct swipe at Obi, Okonkwo accused the former Anambra governor of abandoning the coalition platform and walking into a political trap.
“Why did I say that Atiku is the leader of the opposition? The opposition came together to form a coalition, and they chose the ADC on July 2, 2026, and all of us were there, including Peter Obi. Obi left for the NDC, where he has now entered a trap because they used the NDC to lure him away,” Okonkwo added.
The claims have yet to be independently verified by other opposition figures.
