Former ADC presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu Rejects Coalition, Says Agenda Is Rigged for Atiku’s 2027 Ambition

 

Fresh cracks have emerged in Nigeria’s evolving opposition landscape as Dumebi Kachikwu, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, has issued a bold and scathing denunciation of the newly-formed political alliance meant to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027. Speaking to journalists on Thursday in Abuja, Kachikwu alleged that the coalition led by former Senate President David Mark is nothing more than a deliberate arrangement to install former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the next presidential flag bearer.

Kachikwu, who contested the 2023 election under the ADC and finished fifth overall, claimed that the faction which has taken control of the party was structured to suppress any southern ambition and restore power to the north. He insisted that his rejection of the coalition stemmed from their lack of commitment to equitable power rotation and the clear signs of a hidden agenda to advance Atiku’s candidacy.

Recalling a private meeting he had earlier this year with the coalition’s key architects, Kachikwu shared detailed insight into the conversations that pushed him to walk away. According to him, the coalition leaders included former ministers and influential figures from past administrations who came with a singular obsession: removing President Bola Tinubu and the APC from power. However, the moment he posed the question of power rotation to the South, their response made the true nature of the alliance apparent.

“They came to me talking about the failure of Tinubu’s government and the need to save Nigeria,” Kachikwu said. “But when I asked whether they would agree to zone the 2027 presidential ticket to the South, they didn’t hesitate. The immediate answer was, ‘We are taking our power back.’ That response revealed everything I needed to know.”

Kachikwu argued that any coalition lacking a clear and public commitment to regional equity, especially after the North held the presidency for eight years under Buhari, cannot claim to represent national unity or fairness. He expressed disappointment that prominent opposition figures would prioritize political dominance over genuine reform, accusing them of merely disguising personal ambition as patriotic concern.

The tension escalated further after the coalition formally presented the ADC as its platform during a highly publicized event in Abuja on March 20. The gathering brought together notable political leaders including Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi. Despite their public declarations of loyalty to the ADC, most of them have yet to formally register as party members.

With Ralph Nwosu and other senior members stepping down, the party’s interim leadership now rests in the hands of David Mark as national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary. The shake-up, according to Kachikwu, was orchestrated to pave the way for this takeover and remove any obstacles to Atiku’s emergence as the presidential candidate.

In a strongly worded statement, Kachikwu accused the incoming leaders and their allies of hijacking the ADC without offering a clear ideological path or plan for national development. Instead, he said, the group is driven by outdated political thinking and a hunger for power without reform. “They want to take Nigeria back to a cycle of dominance and exclusion,” he noted. “I will not be part of that.”

The former ADC flag bearer warned that unless the coalition declares publicly that the South will produce its 2027 presidential candidate, it cannot earn the trust of Nigerians seeking real change. He challenged the group to come clean with their intentions and respect the unwritten agreement of power rotation which has helped maintain Nigeria’s fragile unity.

“Make that statement,” he said firmly. “Say it clearly, that the South will produce the flag bearer. Then we can have a conversation. Until then, everything you do reeks of manipulation and self-interest.”

Kachikwu’s position reflects growing unease within the ranks of Nigeria’s opposition, where ideological fractures and regional rivalries threaten to derail efforts at unity. His rejection of the coalition raises questions about the viability of an alliance that lacks clear leadership, shared values, and a firm stance on national inclusion.

President Tinubu’s administration, which has received mixed reviews so far, has left the door open for a credible and cohesive opposition to mount a serious challenge in 2027. But if the new coalition cannot resolve its internal contradictions or reassure southern politicians and voters of their relevance, it may collapse under its own weight before the next electoral season begins.

For now, Kachikwu remains adamant. “We will not fold our hands and watch as the same cycle of exclusion and domination continues,” he declared. “There must be fairness, there must be justice. Without that, there can be no real opposition, only another version of the same old Nigeria.”