African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Dele Momodu has suggested that a coalition ticket pairing Atiku Abubakar with a prominent southern politician such as Peter Obi or Rotimi Amaechi could seriously challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and weaken the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election.

Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, Momodu said, “I believe if we have a combination of Atiku, maybe with Peter Obi, maybe with Rotimi Amaechi, or any other person that comes from the South, Tinubu will be gone. It will be the end of Tinubu’s foundation, not the APC.”

Momodu noted that Atiku’s long-standing political ambition and experience position him as a strong contender should he emerge as the opposition’s candidate. “From my analysis, Atiku Abubakar even those who didn’t like Atiku before now he’s smelling like roses, because the enemy of your enemy is your friend. He has prepared forever, just like Donald Trump was preparing forever. People said Donald Trump is old, and like a joke, he is doing his second term now.”

He added, “I believe that there must be opposition politics; there must be opposition candidates. But Tinubu wants to contest against himself, and it doesn’t make sense to me.”

On the prospects of Atiku defeating Tinubu in 2027, Momodu stressed that the former vice president’s political structure and persistence make him a formidable contender. He also expressed concern over defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the APC since Tinubu assumed office, describing the trend as troubling for Nigeria’s democracy. “It could become dangerous if the PDP is reduced to only a handful of governors across the country. It is a sad day for democracy,” he said.

Currently, Atiku, Obi, and Amaechi who contested the 2023 presidential election under different parties have aligned within the ADC as part of a broader opposition coalition aimed at challenging the ruling party in 2027. Other prominent figures in the alliance include David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and Nasir el-Rufai, as the coalition seeks to present a united front.

The ADC has scheduled its national convention for April 14, 2026, following ward and state congresses set to begin on April 7.