Former presidential adviser, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has warned that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could face a serious internal crisis if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar secures the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.
Baba-Ahmed made the assertion on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he spoke on the internal dynamics of the coalition-backed party and the ambitions of its leading figures.
According to him, Atiku is strongly positioned to emerge as the ADC’s flagbearer if the party proceeds with a national convention — a development he believes could trigger an exodus of dissatisfied aspirants and supporters.
“If ADC goes to convention, and it certainly will, because that’s what former Vice President Atiku wants, he will get the ticket,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“And then, a lot of people will walk out because a lot of people are in that party only for the same thing — they want the ticket.”
He argued that the ADC currently houses several high-profile political actors whose ambitions are likely to clash once the process of selecting a presidential candidate begins.
Baba-Ahmed also commented on the political posture of former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, suggesting that Obi’s style does not align with highly competitive party primaries.
“One of the reasons Peter Obi is saying, ‘I’m not here for number two, I’m not here for convention, I’m here to fly the flag,’ is that he has people who were initially whispering politely to him,” he said.
“But now they are saying, ‘Join the queue. You’re not the only one with ambition here.’”
He added that Obi was more accustomed to being adopted as a consensus candidate rather than contesting against multiple aspirants.
“Peter Obi doesn’t do convention. He just goes there to be anointed,” Baba-Ahmed said, noting that such expectations could fuel tensions within the party.
The former presidential adviser concluded that the ADC’s convention could destabilise the coalition.
“The ADC will bleed after its convention because almost certainly former Vice President Atiku will win the ticket, and when he does, some people will walk out,” he said.
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