Peter Obi Reportedly Reconsidering ADC Coalition Amid Allegations It Was Engineered to Favour Atiku — Kachikwu
In a dramatic twist that could reshape the future of opposition politics ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections, former Labour Party presidential candidate Mr Peter Obi is reportedly reconsidering his participation in the newly-formed coalition led by the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The coalition, launched with much fanfare on July 2, 2025, was heralded as a unifying platform for opposition forces hoping to wrest power from President Bola Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC).
However, less than three weeks into its formal unveiling, cracks are already appearing — and at the center of the storm is a claim that the coalition is nothing more than a political contraption “packaged for Atiku Abubakar.” This assertion was made on national television Sunday night by Mr Dumebi Kachikwu, a media entrepreneur and former ADC presidential candidate.
The coalition had generated hope among segments of the electorate weary of the Tinubu administration’s handling of the economy, security, and political stability. It was formed as an umbrella initiative to merge opposition parties under one common banner — with the ADC presented as the primary vehicle.
The alliance brought together key figures: Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and others. But now, Kachikwu claims that Obi has “understood the whole game,” stating that “the coalition was never really about unity or rescuing Nigeria — it was engineered to return Atiku to power.”
According to Kachikwu, Obi has seen through the plan and is now exploring an alternative path. “Someone like Mr Peter Obi now understands that the whole coalition was packaged for Atiku Abubakar,” Kachikwu said on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics. “From our understanding, he is looking in other directions.”
Though Obi has not publicly addressed Kachikwu’s claims, the political rumour mill has been spinning since the July 2 announcement. Insiders in both the Labour Party and broader opposition network suggest that Obi is deeply uneasy with recent moves by Atiku and his camp to dominate the coalition structure.
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Kachikwu, who has long been critical of Nigeria’s recycled leadership class, was scathing in his remarks. He accused the former Vice President and his allies of trying to “buy out” the ADC from within by offering large sums to state chairmen.
“They are offering some of the ADC state chairmen as much as ₦20 million to resign their positions, which goes to show that their intentions are not honourable,” he said.
Kachikwu warned that this was part of a broader scheme to hijack the party’s internal structure before its upcoming national convention. According to him, these financial inducements are intended to weaken the grassroots leadership of the ADC, allowing Atiku loyalists to control the party machinery.
“The party’s state chairpersons are being induced, offered different sums of money to relinquish their positions before the convention is due sometime next year,” Kachikwu alleged. “It’s all part of a cynical plot to repurpose the ADC as a PDP satellite.”
In a move likely to inflame intra-coalition tensions further, Kachikwu went on to accuse Atiku of systematically opposing southern leadership throughout his political career. He cited Atiku’s alleged opposition to Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan — both from the South — as historical evidence of a pattern.
“I challenge him to publicly declare that he supports a southern candidate for president,” Kachikwu said defiantly. “If he disputes my claims, let him come out and say, ‘Yes, the presidency should remain in the South for another term.’”
Observers note that this ethnic and regional undertone may resonate with a broad section of southern voters and politicians who feel marginalised by the longstanding northern grip on Nigeria’s presidency.
Kachikwu’s comments have opened up another layer of friction within the opposition alliance: the question of zoning and power rotation. Many in the South have argued that, following eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari and the continuation of a northern-favoured presidency under Tinubu, the next president should come from the South.
Peter Obi’s reticence has only deepened the intrigue. So far, the former Anambra governor has not made any public statements regarding Kachikwu’s remarks. But insiders close to him reveal that he has grown increasingly disillusioned with the coalition’s operations.
“He feels boxed in,” said a senior Labour Party official who spoke to this reporter under condition of anonymity. “Obi believed in the idea of a broad-based coalition that could unify the nation. What he’s seeing now is political overreach and strategic dominance by old political actors who haven’t changed their ways.”
According to the official, Obi is not just worried about Atiku’s ambitions but also about the lack of internal democracy and transparent decision-making in the new coalition. The party’s communication strategy, power-sharing blueprint, and even campaign coordination are reportedly dominated by loyalists of the former vice president.
“He’s weighing his options. Obi may take a different path entirely or lead a fresh third-force realignment if things don’t improve,” the source said.
Kachikwu’s bombshell allegations may prove to be the beginning of a painful reckoning for opposition unity. For now, the ADC is caught between the ideal of renewal and the reality of political intrusion by powerful elites.
In the coming weeks, all eyes will be on Obi. Will he formally exit the coalition? Will he speak out against the alleged hijack? Or will there be an attempt to salvage the arrangement through honest negotiation and zoning commitments?
Political analysts believe that any unraveling of the opposition coalition could significantly bolster the ruling APC’s chances in 2027. “The opposition can’t afford internal discord this close to the election cycle,” said political commentator Damilola Ogunlesi. “This coalition was supposed to be the last hope. If it collapses under the weight of ambition, Tinubu might win by default.”
Others believe Kachikwu’s intervention could force a reset. “The upside of this mess is that it lays bare the manipulations before they take full effect,” said former INEC official Adebayo Adekunle. “If there’s enough transparency and consensus now, the coalition can still be saved.”
What Kachikwu has made clear is that the ADC, once dismissed as a fringe party, is now the battleground for 2027. Its current popularity owes more to the coalition than its independent strength — and that makes it ripe for contestation.
But whether the ADC can withstand this test — or become a casualty of Nigeria’s cyclical elite power play — remains to be seen.
Kachikwu’s final words on the broadcast were telling: “The ADC is not for sale. It is not for those who see politics as a career. It is for those who still believe Nigeria can be rescued. If Atiku thinks he can buy the ADC, he is in for a shock.”
For now, Nigerians wait — and Peter Obi remains silent.