Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A factional leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by its National Chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe, has formally disowned the presidential aspirations of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, insisting that the party’s internal nomination processes have been concluded and that Professor Chris Uba remains its duly recognised flag bearer for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, the Gombe-led faction declared that Atiku “is not, and has never been,” the presidential candidate of the ADC for the 2027 elections. The party said it was issuing the clarification in the public interest and to safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
The faction also distanced itself from a group allegedly operating under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark, describing it as a self-styled faction that is not recognised by the party. According to the statement, the group lacks the constitutional and legal authority to conduct congresses, primaries, or make binding decisions on behalf of the ADC.
“The legitimate National Leadership of the ADC is fully cognizant of sustained overtures and coordinated efforts by certain coalition elements to compel the Party into political alliances with other platforms,” the statement read. “The Party categorically states that the African Democratic Congress is not in any form of alliance, merger, or coalition with any other political party. The ADC remains an autonomous, ideologically grounded, and self-reliant political party committed to contesting all elections on its own merit, structure, and manifesto.”
The Gombe-led faction issued what it described as a “formal and final warning” to Atiku Abubakar, urging him to desist from holding himself out or parading himself as the presidential candidate of the ADC. The party insisted that it would not be used as a “rental platform” or a “Special Purpose Vehicle” for political opportunists seeking to leverage its structure for personal ambition.
“The African Democratic Congress presents Professor Chris Uba as its duly recognized flag bearer. The Party is of the firm conviction that Professor Uba possesses the requisite competence, capacity, character, and national appeal to provide transformational leadership for Nigeria at this critical period in our history,” the statement added.
The faction warned that it would pursue all available legal and constitutional remedies to protect its identity and structure against what it described as unauthorised appropriation or misrepresentation.
The internal dispute highlights the deepening crisis within the ADC, which has been grappling with a leadership tussle between the Gombe-led faction and another group loyal to former Senate President David Mark. The Mark-led faction had previously endorsed Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate, while the Gombe faction insists that Professor Chris Uba is the legitimate flag bearer.
The controversy comes just weeks after Atiku secured the ADC’s presidential ticket in a primary election held in May 2026, where he reportedly defeated former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and other aspirants. However, the Gombe faction has maintained that the process was flawed and that the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act were not properly followed.
Atiku’s camp has yet to issue an official response to the latest development, but the former vice president had earlier raised alarms about attempts to block the ADC from participating in the 2027 elections. In a statement issued on June 29, 2026, Atiku alleged that unnamed elements within the ruling establishment were plotting to exclude the opposition party from the ballot, warning that such actions would constitute a grave assault on democracy.
The ADC’s internal wrangling comes at a critical time as opposition parties scramble to form a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections. The crisis has already led to the departure of key figures, including former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal, who resigned from the ADC in June 2026, arguing that supporting Atiku would hand President Bola Tinubu a second term.
The Gombe-led faction has reaffirmed its confidence in the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the country’s constitutional and electoral framework, while dismissing recent allegations of a plot to prevent the party from participating in the 2027 polls as baseless. The faction also urged stakeholders, security agencies, and the general public to disregard any claims or announcements made by unauthorised individuals or competing factions within the party.
As the ADC leadership battle intensifies, the coming months will determine which faction will ultimately be recognised by INEC and whether the party can present a united front ahead of the 2027 elections. For now, the Gombe faction has drawn a clear line in the sand: Atiku Abubakar is not its candidate, and it will fight to ensure that Professor Chris Uba is recognised as the party’s legitimate presidential flag bearer.
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