A powerful bloc within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), aligned with Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, held a closed-door meeting in Abuja on Wednesday with senior figures from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in what insiders describe as the early stages of a political realignment ahead of the 2027 general election.
The meeting, hosted at the Apo residence of former Senate president David Mark, brought together key opposition actors including former Osun governor Rauf Aregbesola. According to sources familiar with the discussions, talks centred on the possibility of a strategic alliance aimed at unseating President Bola Tinubu, alongside negotiations over a common platform, power-sharing arrangements and the terms of cooperation.
The gathering, which lasted about two hours, drew an expansive list of political heavyweights: former vice-president Atiku Abubakar; factional PDP chairman Tanimu Turaki; former attorney general Abubakar Malami; former governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Aminu Tambuwal, Peter Obi and Babangida Aliyu; as well as PDP national secretary Taofeeq Arapaja and ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi.
Makinde, speaking briefly to reporters after the meeting, played down speculation of a formal pact, describing the engagement instead as “a show of solidarity”.
“We came to visit the leadership of the ADC,” he said. “We are on a solidarity visit … to commit to a truly democratic space in our country.”
But behind the cautious public messaging, multiple sources within both parties suggested more substantive deliberations had taken place. One insider described the meeting as an “expanded stakeholders’ session” building on earlier consultations, including a prior gathering in Minna, where opposition figures first explored the contours of cooperation.
“They discussed developments within the opposition and how to respond collectively,” the source said. “There is a clear resolve to work together to ensure there is a credible alternative and to prevent a drift towards a one-party state.”
Another senior figure confirmed that conditions for collaboration had been tabled, with further consultations expected before any formal announcement. “They have agreed in principle to work together,” the source said, adding that decisions on whether to adopt the PDP, ADC or another platform would depend on ongoing legal and political developments.
Those uncertainties are considerable. Both parties remain mired in internal crises marked by factional leadership disputes and protracted court battles. Within the PDP, a bloc aligned with the federal capital territory minister Nyesom Wike has tightened its grip following a recent court ruling, while publicly distancing the party from any alliance talks.
In a statement issued by a national working committee faction led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, the PDP dismissed reports of collaboration with the ADC as “misleading”, insisting that no meeting had been authorised and that any participants acted in their personal capacities.
The denial underscores deep divisions within the opposition, even as pressures mount externally. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has also become a focal point of contention after declining to recognise rival ADC factions led by Mark and Nafiu Gombe, citing a court order to maintain the status quo.
That decision has intensified the ADC’s internal crisis, which has splintered into multiple factions, including a group aligned with former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu. The dispute, rooted in disagreements over the tenure of former chairman Ralph Nwosu, has triggered a series of legal battles stretching from the federal high court to the appellate level.
Against this backdrop, Wednesday’s meeting also carried a symbolic dimension, coming hours after opposition leaders staged a protest at INEC headquarters in Abuja, demanding recognition of the Mark-led ADC leadership and accusing the commission of partisanship.
In a strongly worded letter submitted to the electoral body, ADC leaders warned of “a dangerous and unacceptable attempt to undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democratic system” and called for the resignation of its chairman, Joseph Amupitan.
Both Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who addressed supporters during the protest, framed the unfolding situation as a broader struggle for democratic survival, warning against what they described as creeping authoritarianism and the erosion of political pluralism.
For now, the opposition’s path to unity remains uncertain, constrained by internal fragmentation, legal hurdles and competing ambitions. Yet the intensifying consultations suggest a growing recognition among its leaders that, without a coordinated front, the prospect of mounting a serious challenge in 2027 may remain elusive.
