The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of using its recent zoning decision for the 2027 presidential election as a calculated strategy to attract prominent southern politicians such as Peter Obi, Goodluck Jonathan, and Rotimi Amaechi.
Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, made the remarks on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, August 26, criticizing both the PDP and the All Progressives Congress (APC) for placing political calculations above addressing Nigeria’s pressing issues.
“Why are we so obsessed with politics at a time when Nigerians are dealing with serious economic hardship?” Abdullahi questioned, calling early zoning discussions “insensitive” given that the next election is still two years away.
The PDP recently zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South while retaining the national chairmanship in the North. The APC, on the other hand, has endorsed President Bola Tinubu for a second term, citing the country’s informal North-South power rotation.
Abdullahi, however, dismissed both moves as tactical maneuvers.
“These are experienced politicians. They know what they’re doing. Either it’s a pre-arranged plan or they’re setting a trap to draw certain individuals in,” he said.
He emphasized that the ADC remains open and inclusive, stating that political figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rotimi Amaechi would be given equal opportunity if they chose to run on the party’s platform.
“In the headlines just yesterday, Atiku declared his intention to run. But we also have others like Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and several others interested. Within the ADC, they all stand on equal footing,” Abdullahi noted.
He added that the ADC has yet to make any zoning decisions, choosing instead to prioritize grassroots mobilisation and internal party development.
“We’re not reacting to what PDP or APC is doing. Nigerians can see through these early moves—they’re political games, not acts of leadership. We’re focused on building our party from the ground up,” he concluded.
