2027 Election: 31 Reps, 26 Senators Join ADC Coalition as Atiku’s Defection Triggers Political Earthquake
By: Israel Adeleke
OPEN TELEVISION NAIJA (OTN) News reports that a major political realignment is unfolding in Nigeria as 31 sitting members of the House of Representatives and 26 senators prepare to defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signaling a growing shift in momentum ahead of the 2027 general elections.
OTN News further reports that this mass movement, follows the dramatic resignation of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a move political analysts say could reshape the country’s political landscape and challenge the dominance of both the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP.
OTN News observes that the ADC, long seen as a fringe party, is fast positioning itself as a formidable third-force alternative. The defection of serving lawmakers from both chambers of the National Assembly suggests rising disillusionment within the traditional political establishment and growing support for an alternative national agenda.
In a related development, prominent political figure Aliyu Saulawa, who once served as Director of Media in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s campaign and held a similar role in the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, announced his defection to the ADC at the party’s Katsina State chapter inauguration on Sunday.
Speaking at the Continental Event Centre in Katsina, Saulawa cited worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and what he described as “broken promises” by the APC-led federal government.
“I can no longer align myself with a party that has abandoned its promises, especially to the North,” he said. “The suffering is unbearable, and it’s time for a new direction.”
OTN News further observes that hundreds of members from the APC, PDP, and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) also joined the ADC during the Katsina event, led by Dr. Mustapha Inuwa and attended by representatives from all 34 local government areas of the state.
Many defectors pointed to poverty, inflation, unemployment, and rising insecurity as reasons for leaving their former parties.
Furthermore, the leader of the National Political Coalition Group, Lawal Batagarawa, criticized the current state of governance and called on Nigerians to rally behind the ADC.
“Nigerians must unite under the ADC to reclaim the country and restore hope,” he said.
The ADC Chairman in Katsina, Usman Musa Wamba, said the party has begun intensive grassroots mobilisation ahead of 2027, banking on youth engagement and public disillusionment with the APC and PDP.
“We are building a movement grounded in fairness, good leadership, and real development,” Wamba stated. “The people are tired of recycled failure.”
Meanwhile, in Osogbo, former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has been appointed the Interim National Secretary of the ADC. Speaking at a large rally, Aregbesola claimed he was forced out of the APC due to internal betrayal, despite remaining loyal to the party's founding ideals.
“I never left the APC. The APC left me,” Aregbesola declared. “When we formed the Omoluabi group, they dragged us to court and expelled us. It was political betrayal.” He affirmed his commitment to the ADC, calling his appointment a reaffirmation of his leadership value and political relevance.
“Let no one intimidate us. This is ADC’s time in Osun, and we must take our message to every corner of the state,” he added.
OTN News also observes that the ADC’s growing membership and high-profile endorsements have elevated the party’s national stature.
However, the party officials confirm that plans are underway to field candidates in all elections and formalize a coalition with other minor parties and pressure groups in the coming weeks.
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