Atiku delays ADC membership card as concerns brew over his commitment to the coalition move
Ahead of 2027 elections, former vice-president of Nigeria Atiku Abubakar has put on hold the collection of his much-anticipated the African Democratic Congress membership card.
There has been gathering rumour about former president Goodluck Jonathan being courted by the coalition group for 2027 presidential race.
Atiku, who recently resigned from being a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) following persistent intra-party conflict, had been expected to make his move into the African Democratic Congress (ADC) formal after receiving the congress’ membership card.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
The membership card is said to be presented to Atiku by ADC members at his hometown of Jada, in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
Howbeit, reports garnered yesterday revealed that the ceremony which was scheduled to hold on Wednesday, 6th August, 2025, was indefinitely postponed without any official statement from Atiku’s camp.
A shocker was released into the air on Sunday when a chieftain of ADC disclosed that the coalition party has been engaging former president Goodluck Jonathan in talks over a possible presidential re-run in 2027.
On Sunday, the ADC Chairman of the Adamawa State Chapter, Shehu Yohana, revealed that Atiku’s reception into the coalition party had been postponed without a new date set.
“I spoke with the former vice president on the phone Friday morning, and he told me he has shifted the event to mid-August, but no specific date was mentioned.
“From the way things are going, due to one issue or the other, the event may get to September.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
“He (Atiku) said that he was waiting for some All Progressives Congress (APC) governors who are planning to join ADC to decamp before his event in Jada,” Shehu said.
Tensions Brew Over Jonathan, Obi, Atiku
On the other hand, a chieftain of the ADC at the national level, who preferred to maintain anonymity, said on Sunday that the postponement was not related to power tussling between Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.
The party chieftain disclosed that the Obi political movement had grabbed ADC structures in the south, a situation he described as ‘threat to Atiku’s presidential ambition.’
“From all indications, if things do not work out well for Atiku within few weeks to come, I see him defecting to the Social Democratic Party,” he stated.
The chieftain also stressed that the suspension of former governor of Kaduna State Mallam Nasir El-Rufai from the Social Democratic Party (SDP) started with fear that Atiku might return and form a “political cartel” within the party.
Reports also suggested that Atiku’s faction of the ADC has been pushing the former vice president to dump the party if the intra-party crisis continues.
In recent days, there have been rumours of proposed return of former President Goodluck Jonathan for the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
A reliable source within the ADC disclosed that the party had been holding talks with Jonathan to become a member of the party.
“We are talking to him (Jonathan), and we are getting a positive response from him so far. I can assure you that he is not going to contest under the PDP; he knows the problem there. Does he want to wrestle with Wike who has the grip on the party? The former President is a gentleman and a refined politician,” the party chieftain said.
“The leaders of the coalition have met him about three times, and the ex-President appreciates their efforts to rescue the country from the current economic quagmire occasioned by President Bola Tinubu’s bad policies. He recalled how he left the country, and things have now gone worse,” he said.
When asked if the Jonathan would be given automatic presidential ticket, the ADC chairman answered: “When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it.”
Bolaji Abdullahi, the spokesperson for the ADC. when reached for confirmation, said: “ADC is open to everybody and we look forward to having every Nigerian who is ready to rescue the country from this hardship.”
Howbeit, the former First Lady and Jonathan’s wife, Patience Jonathan, disclosed in on 11th May that her husband was not looking to occupy the Aso Rock Villa again, but planned to support the reelection of the incumbent president Bola Tinubu for the 2027 general elections.
In May, Mrs. Jonathan while accepting the Women Icon Leader of the Year 2025 award from Accolade Dynamics Limited in Abuja, stated that: “All the way, we are with you (Tinubu). No shaking. We will follow. Direct us, and we will follow. Because there is only one president at a time. We don’t have two presidents.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
“I believe in one president. I believe in turn-by-turn. When it’s your turn, I will support you. When it’s not your turn, step back—so that the country can move forward,” she said.
Atiku Unafraid Of Jonathan, Obi
Reacting to the emergence of Jonathan and Obi, Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, reiterated that the former vice president is not concerned by the political aspiration of any rival.
On Saturday, Mr. Iba also insinuation the rumours that Atiku had put on hold plans to collect his ADC membership card due to speculated talks existing between the party and Jonathan, stating the Atiku’s mind has not changed against being one of the party card-carriers.
“Nothing has changed; we don’t want to give mischief-makers an opportunity. Atiku Abubakar registered as a member of the ADC in Jada ward of Jada Local Government Area, Adamawa State, and the process is still on, so nothing has been suspended,” Ibe said.
In his response, he described Atiku as a democrat who is open to competition and not willing to accept intimidation by anyone who has decided to run for president.
“Atiku is a democrat, and he cannot be threatened by anyone’s ambition. The beauty of democracy is that the minority will have its say, and then the majority will have its way. There will always be choices.
“Unlike what Tinubu is currently doing, using the instruments of state to lead everybody into a one-party dictatorship, Atiku will not be coming from where he is, where he feels that what Tinubu and the APC are doing is not democratic, and would want to prevent anyone from declaring their ambition,” he added.
Ibe noted that the former vice president’s focus is on working with other Nigerians of well-meaning to elect a credible option to the party in power.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
“He (Atiku) will work with other men and women of goodwill to try to give Nigerians an opportunity other than the APC and Tinubu. And then, he will not be threatened or feel threatened or worried because somebody has joined the race or decided to join the race, because all of this is just speculation.
“So, the more the merrier, it is democracy at work. I mean, let people who are throwing their hats into the ring, those who feel that they have something to offer, let them join it.
“Atiku will not feel threatened by anybody deciding on their own volition to join the race. Though we don’t want to give legitimacy to the speculations, Atiku will not be threatened by anyone, either Jonathan or any other person who has decided to join the race. The more the merrier, so that Nigerians can make informed decisions,” Ibe said.
Tinubu Responsible For Crisis Within ADC
Another chieftain of the ADC who also preferred anonymity, has alleged that President Bola Tinubu is working behind coverage to make things difficult for Atiku’s ADC ambition.
In his statement, he revealed that the ruling party (APC) is afraid of Atiku and has sworn to finance all sorts of agitation against him and the ADC.
He said, “The only person they (Presidency) are scared of is Atiku Abubakar. They don’t want him on the ballot. That is why they are doing everything to infiltrate the ranks of the ADC and cause unnecessary tension within the party.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
“What Tinubu and his supporters want is a free ride to the 2027 election, and that is why they are scared of Atiku. What they don’t know is that the elections will be between Nigerians and the APC. Having gone through avoidable pains in the past two years, Nigerians know exactly what they want in 2027, and no amount of intimidation can make them back out of their resolve to vote out the incompetent APC.”
The party chieftain further noted that the Presidency does not view Obi as a major threat due to the influence the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike wields within the PDP.
“They want Peter Obi and other southerners to run because they know that Bola Tinubu will be the strongest candidate of them all, if Atiku is not on the ballot. They are wooing Peter Obi to PDP, but there is no way the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, will allow Obi to have the party’s ticket,” he added.
Also in the statement, made on Sunday by the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged that the APC was moving to scatter the coalition structure ahead of the 2027 general elections in a bid to have an easy cruise to victory.
Abdullahi pledged that the party would rebuff any form of presidency-sponsored attacks against it, noting that all efforts are in place to sweep aside any strategy deployed by APC government.
Since the change of key members, which saw David Mark replace Ralph Nwosu as the ADC National Chairman, the party has been plunged into crisis with some former state chapter chairman, slamming the manner in which Mark and team took over the running of the party.
Atiku Delays ADC Card
When asked if APC were behind the chaos within the party, he said: “We have repeatedly maintained this. All these things you see have become an enterprise. They hold press conferences to say they are challenging the leadership of David Mark. This has become a good business for them.
“They are wasting their resources and their time. We know the people behind this. It is either that the people are sponsoring them, or they are holding the press conferences to attract attention from those who will give them money. For us, we are not bothered about this. They should continue to entertain themselves.”