By Franklin Adole
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar yesterday made his long-anticipated move official as he joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), picking up his membership card at his Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa State and declaring the start of what he called “the real opposition” ahead of the 2027 general elections. The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, who had spent months weighing his options after quitting the PDP in July, said his entry into the ADC marked the beginning of a coordinated effort to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“Now I have picked up my membership card of the ADC. Now, the real opposition has begun. We will chase the APC out of government,” Atiku said shortly after completing his registration. He urged his political base nationwide to immediately enlist in the ADC, describing the party as the new platform for a broad opposition coalition. Adamawa ADC Chairman, Shehu Yohanna, who supervised the registration process, said Atiku’s entry formally launches statewide mobilisation across all local government areas and wards, appealing to youths and women in particular to join the party as it expands.
Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua, National Secretary of the ADC Registration and Mobilisation Committee, echoed the call for mass participation, urging Nigerians to register and “take ownership of the nation’s political future.” Atiku’s public declaration comes months after he resigned from the PDP, accusing the party of drifting from its founding ideals and saying its internal conflicts had become “irreconcilable.” In his resignation letter dated July 16, addressed to the PDP Jada 1 Ward chairman, he described his exit as “heartbreaking,” but said it was necessary as the party had lost direction. He thanked the PDP leadership for the support he received over the years and wished them well.
Atiku later reinforced yesterday’s declaration with a post on his verified X handle, sharing a photograph of himself holding his ADC membership card with the caption: “It’s official.” His unveiling attracted several prominent Adamawa political leaders, including former Governor Bindow Jibrilla, Senator Aishatu Binani, Senator Ahmed Barata, Senator Aziz Nyako, and Senator Ishaku Abbo, underscoring a significant political realignment in the North-East and raising the stakes as the race toward 2027 intensifies.