In what appears to be an early move toward possible opposition realignment ahead of the 2027 general elections, key figures from factions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) held a high-level meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.
The closed-door meeting brought together the faction of the ADC associated with former Senate President David Mark and a PDP bloc linked to former minister Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, amid ongoing leadership disputes within both parties.
Sources familiar with the meeting said discussions focused on exploring potential political alliances as Nigeria’s opposition parties navigate internal crises and legal battles over party leadership structures.
Among those present on the ADC side were former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Rabiu Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State; Aminu Tambuwal, senator representing Sokoto South; Abubakar Malami, former attorney-general of the federation; Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation; and Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
Representing the Turaki-aligned PDP faction were Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde; former Niger State Governor Babangida Aliyu; former minister of information Jerry Gana; and former Senate President Adolphus Wabara.
The meeting comes against the backdrop of deepening leadership disputes within both parties.
In the ADC, the crisis escalated last week after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that it would no longer recognise the David Mark-led leadership. The commission cited the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal and stated that it would refrain from engaging with both the Mark-led and Bala factions pending the determination of a case before the Federal High Court.
INEC said it would not attend meetings, congresses or conventions organised by the groups until the legal dispute over the party’s leadership is resolved.
The PDP has also been grappling with its own internal divisions since 2025. The party has split into rival factions, one aligned with Governor Makinde and another backed by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
In March, the Wike-aligned faction held an elective convention where Abdulrahman Mohammed emerged as national chairman, while Samuel Anyanwu was elected national secretary.
However, the Turaki-led faction has challenged the move at the Supreme Court, seeking an order to restrain the Wike camp from conducting the convention.