Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar officially picked up his African Democratic Congress (ADC) membership card on Monday, ending months of speculation and confirming his long-anticipated defection to the party.
He was registered at the Jada 1 Ward in Adamawa State by Senator Sadiq Yar’Adua, the National Secretary of the ADC Registration and Mobilisation Committee.
Atiku addressed party supporters and officials in Yola during the weekend, declaring: “There is a new political movement in Nigeria today. That movement has brought us to the ADC. So, the people of Adamawa and Nigeria, our new party is the ADC.” He added, “Tomorrow, Monday, Insha Allah, I will officially become a member of the ADC.”
The move ends weeks of uncertainty over his commitment to the party after both the ex-vice president and 2023 presidential candidate Petr Obi were absent at the unveiling of the ADC’s new national secretariat in Abuja on November 17.
The ADC leadership dismissed claims of disunity, with National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi insisting that neither figure had withdrawn support. “Obi was out of the country, and Atiku wasn’t available. There is no rift within the party,” he said.
Adamawa State ADC Chairman Shehu Yohanna confirmed the plan, adding that Atiku would combine the registration exercise with birthday celebrations and outreach in his hometown.
“I spoke with the former Vice President, and he told me he would be in Yola for his birthday celebration and distribution of items to people in Jada. I believe he will use the visit to officially register his membership and collect his card,” Yohanna said.
While Atiku takes this decisive step, attention now turns to Peter Obi, who has remained silent. Obi’s former campaign spokesman, Yunusa Tanko, clarified that the former Anambra governor is only taking time to make the “right decision.” He said, “Obi doesn’t want to be in a place where he will feel trapped. He will make a statement at the appropriate time.”
The registration is expected to solidify Atiku’s commitment to the ADC coalition as the opposition prepares for the 2027 presidential elections, with both local and national party structures looking to leverage his formal alignment to strengthen the coalition’s platform.
