Unuevbo TV
Atiku Submits ADC Presidential Nomination Forms as Amaechi Also Files — Northern Group Cries Foul, Says Opposition Needs Fresh Faces
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi have both submitted their ADC nomination forms ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday formally submitted his presidential nomination forms at the African Democratic Congress (ADC) national secretariat in Abuja, putting an end to speculation that he might sit out the 2027 race. On the same day, former Rivers State Governor and ex‑Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi also filed his ADC nomination papers, declaring that competence and measurable performance must take precedence over ethnic considerations in choosing Nigeria's next leader.
The dual filing means the ADC — a party that has positioned itself as a credible alternative to the crisis‑ridden PDP — will now host a potentially explosive primary contest between two of the most recognisable figures in Nigerian politics. Atiku, the 2023 PDP presidential candidate, arrived at the ADC headquarters with a large entourage of supporters and was received by party officials who confirmed his candidacy was in order. Amaechi, whose last electoral outing was the 2023 APC presidential primary, used the moment to pitch himself as a bridge‑builder. "Competence, experience, and measurable performance must outweigh ethnicity," Amaechi said. "Nigeria needs a president who can deliver, not one defined by geography."
But the twin filings were met with sharp criticism from the Congress of Northern Democrats (CND), which accused Atiku of pursuing a personal ambition that risks fracturing the opposition. In a statement released on Thursday evening, the group called for a generational transition, warning that fielding the same candidates from previous cycles could hand the APC an easy victory. "The North must reflect on whether the time has come to encourage broader inclusion within the opposition," the CND statement read. Separately, the Arewa Citizens Parliament accused Atiku of indirectly strengthening President Tinubu's position by refusing to step aside for a fresh face.
The emerging dynamic places the ADC at the centre of an opposition conversation that is increasingly defined by the tension between old‑guard heavyweights and calls for renewal. With Atiku and Amaechi now formally in the race, the ADC primary will be a critical test of whether the party can manage a genuinely competitive selection process without imploding — and whether the opposition can present a unified alternative to the ruling APC in 2027.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more on the ADC primaries, the 2027 opposition race, and the generational debate within Nigerian politics.
📺 Watch Nigerian politics 24/7 on our Politics Channel.
© 2026 Unuevbo TV – All rights reserved. Republication only with permission.