The opposition’s ambition to forge a single Presidential candidate to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027 suffered a major setback on Sunday after Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso declared that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) would not withdraw Peter Obi/Kwankwaso ticket for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) or any other party.
Kwankwaso, vice-presidential candidate of the NDC, was responding to the ADC Presidential Campaign Council which had accused him of advancing Tinubu’s interest by calling on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to step down.
In a strongly worded statement, Kwankwaso said: “Let me state clearly and unequivocally: we will not withdraw our candidature for the ADC or any other party. We remain confident in our capacity, competence, and readiness to lead Nigeria.”
He warned supporters against last-minute fake news that the NDC had stepped down, stressing that “the OK ticket is neither working for nor acting on behalf of the APC or any of its candidates.”
The ADC-PCC, through Kola Ologbondiyan, had described Kwankwaso’s intervention as self-serving and divisive. The public exchange has exposed the deepening division within the opposition.
At the centre of the row is a proposal being promoted by Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the APC and convener of the G100 political pressure group. Lukman has argued on television platforms including Channels TV Hard Copy that the opposition, now beyond six parties, can present a single presidential candidate days to the election.
But legal experts say the proposal has no basis in law.
Read also: 2027: I did not sell ADP Presidential ticket to Atiku — Yabagi
Okoi Obono-Obla, a lawyer and former Presidential aide, who spoke on Arise TV on 18th October, described the talk of a rainbow coalition producing one candidate as “comic relief.”
Obono-Obla argued that under the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2026, which has repealed the Electoral Act 2022, there is no provision for parties to retain their separate identities, logos and constitutions while adopting a common candidate.
“The law knows only one mechanism for parties to come together: merger, as provided for in Sections 81 to 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026,” he said.
According to him, a valid merger requires resolutions of the National Executive Committee and National Convention of each party, surrender of certificates of registration, names, logos, constitutions and manifestos, and a joint application to INEC. He cited the formation of the APC in 2013 from ACN, CPC, ANPP and a faction of APGA as precedent.
He added that INEC does not transfer votes from a party that withdraws to another, and that Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 criminalizes dual membership with a fine of N10 million and up to two years imprisonment.
Terver Shirsha Atsar, an environmental expert and ADC consensus candidate for Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency in Benue State, said the crisis goes beyond law to trust.
“The real question is whether it is too late to foster an effective coalition among the three leaders, given the proximity of the general elections and the applicable INEC guidelines,” Atsar said.
He recalled that Atiku, Obi and Kwankwaso initially worked towards the emergence of the ADC as a coalition platform before Obi left for the NDC. “Those of us who saw great prospects in a united front were disappointed by Obi’s departure. The initial coalition offered a broader strategic opportunity,” he said.
Atsar warned that any attempt to revive the arrangement must confront public confidence and legal risks, including provisions on nomination of presidential and vice-presidential candidates, validity of primaries and substitution of candidates.
“Can the remaining leaders and their supporters be convinced that a renewed coalition will endure, rather than collapse again when individual political interests come into conflict?” he asked, adding that a coalition must be built on “mutual confidence, strategic clarity, legal certainty and a demonstrable commitment to staying together.”
For now, the NDC is holding to its Obi-Kwankwaso ticket with its Kano-based Kwankwasiyya machinery and its zoning formula that allocates the 2027 ticket to the South for one term and 2031 to the North, while Atiku contends with pressure over rotation and a fragmented opposition seeking a legal path to unity.
Related News
