Former President Goodluck Jonathan met with African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Chairman Senator David Mark in Abuja on Thursday to discuss his potential presidential bid for 2027, but left without the automatic ticket he reportedly wanted. Sources say Jonathan, who could run for one more term, pushed for a guaranteed slot to avoid PDP’s internal chaos, but Mark insisted on a fair primary open to all aspirants.
The closed-door talks, held after ADC’s first national caucus meeting, highlighted growing tensions in the opposition coalition. Jonathan, Atiku Abubakar, and Peter Obi all seek firm commitments before fully joining, fearing they’d be sidelined like in past races. “Committing without the ticket could leave them stranded,” one insider noted, adding Jonathan views PDP as “too toxic” due to infighting.
Atiku, who controls much of ADC, plans to formally join soon in his Adamawa ward after building structures there. His spokesman Paul Ibe said Atiku supports the coalition’s call for members to quit old parties and isn’t scared of primaries, focusing on ousting Tinubu to “liberate Nigerians.” However, sources say Atiku won’t easily yield the top spot to Jonathan or Obi, with some offering Obi the VP role—something his supporters reject as “suicidal.”
Obi, consolidating South-East support, insists on zoning the ticket south for equity after Tinubu’s term, pledging just one term. “Power must stay in the South for eight years,” he told ADC leaders, but faces pushback from northern heavyweights. His aide Yunusa Tanko warned Obi will run anyway, with or without ADC, if not given the nod.
The ADC, adopted by the coalition in July to unite opposition against Tinubu, risks fracturing over zoning. Aspirants like Rotimi Amaechi add to the mix, but insiders call the group “shaky,” with 65-70% under Atiku’s sway. The caucus urged backing the primary winner, but no timeline for resignations from old parties was set. Jonathan and Mark agreed to reconvene soon, as consultations drag on.
