2027: Atiku causes chaos in ADC
A fresh dispute has erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Adamawa State after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar publicly referred to Hamman Tukur Ribadu as the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election.
The development has caused confusion among members and supporters of the opposition party because Ambassador Engineer Omar Suleiman, popularly known as Omarana and the Dokajin Adamawa, has been widely identified as the ADC governorship candidate in the state.
Atiku made the reference while speaking about a meeting with ADC candidates from Adamawa who are preparing to contest various positions in the 2027 general elections.
His statement quickly drew attention because it appeared to conflict with the name that has been associated with the party’s governorship ticket in recent reports.
The latest development has also revived an earlier dispute over the ADC governorship primary in Adamawa.
Supporters of Suleiman have accused some individuals within the party of trying to change the outcome of the primary and replace him with another candidate.
The controversy is coming less than a month after Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, rejected claims that the former vice president was involved in any plan to remove a duly nominated ADC candidate.
At the time, Shaibu said Atiku had no role in any move to replace candidates selected through the party’s recognised processes.
He also said Atiku was committed to the decisions of the party’s recognised organs and was working towards bringing members together ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, Atiku’s latest reference to Ribadu has brought the earlier allegations back into public discussion.
Supporters of Suleiman now want clarification on whether Atiku simply mentioned the wrong name or whether there has been a new development concerning the party’s governorship ticket.
The situation has created fresh tension among ADC members in Adamawa, with different groups expected to seek an explanation from the party leadership.
The dispute also comes after earlier disagreements over the conduct of the ADC primary in the state.
Atiku’s camp had previously defended the process and pointed to Suleiman’s emergence as evidence that the party’s internal election produced a candidate through its established procedure.
Suleiman’s supporters maintain that he emerged through the recognised process and should be allowed to continue as the party’s candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
The latest controversy could therefore deepen divisions within the Adamawa chapter of the ADC if the party fails to provide a clear explanation.
It may also create problems for the opposition party as it prepares for the 2027 election, especially if competing groups continue to claim control of the governorship ticket.
Atiku’s statement has now placed the ADC leadership in a difficult position.
The party will have to clarify the status of its Adamawa governorship candidate and address concerns among members who believe the primary had already produced a candidate.
For now, Omar Suleiman remains the person publicly identified in recent reports as the ADC governorship candidate in Adamawa.
But Atiku’s mention of Hamman Tukur Ribadu has opened another dispute over the ticket and raised fresh questions about what is happening inside the party ahead of the 2027 election.
The main issue now is whether Atiku’s reference was simply an error or whether it points to a new development within the ADC. Until the party provides an official clarification, the confusion over its Adamawa governorship ticket is likely to continue.
