My fellow Nigerians, let us talk plainly. For too long, we have been trapped in a political narrative designed to make us feel powerless. We are told that to win a presidential election, a party must have a vast collection of State Governors—that these men control the political machinery and the votes of their states. I am here to tell you, with concrete evidence from our very recent history, that this is a grand illusion. It is a lie sold to us to maintain the status quo and keep us subservient to a failing political class.
The path to reclaiming our country in 2027 does not run through the Government Houses; it runs through you and me, the ordinary Nigerian. And the vehicle for this reclamation is the African Democratic Congress (ADC), which has now been officially adopted as the unified platform for a strong and determined opposition coalition .
The 2023 election: The myth of gubernatorial power shattered
Let us re-examine the 2023 presidential election, not with the lens of propaganda, but with the cold, hard facts. The All Progressives Congress (APC) went into that election with a seemingly unassailable advantage: 22 State Governors. By the old logic, the election should have been a landslide. But what happened?
The APC, with all its power and influence, lost in 12 of the states where it had sitting Governors . Let that sink in.
The party of the presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, lost his own political bastion, Lagos State, to Peter Obi. An incumbent Delta State Governor, who was also the Vice Presidential candidate for the PDP, watched as his state was delivered to the opposition. The APC lost in strategic states like Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Kebbi—all states under their control. They lost in Nasarawa, Gombe, Yobe, Ebonyi, Cross River, Imo, and Plateau.
What does this tell us? It screams one undeniable truth: Nigerians have learned to vote differently in different elections. They can appreciate a Governor for fixing roads but reject a Presidential candidate for failing the nation. The myth of the Governor as the political godfather has been busted. The power, truly, has begun to return to the people.
The unstoppable ADC coalition: A fortress of unity and purpose
While our opponents mock us, a powerful political fortress is being built. The ADC is not a mere party; it is a consolidated movement that has brought together respected leaders from across our nation’s political spectrum. This is our single greatest advantage.
The coalition includes figures like former Senate President Senator David Mark, former Osun State Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, former Speaker and former Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Former Kaduna Governor Malam Nasir El- Rufai, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Ameichi and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal. Other prominent personalities includes Former APC National Chairman John Oyegun, HE Liyel Imoke, HE Bindo, Former Minister and Attorney general Malami,Hajiya Najaatu Mohammad, Former Minister Lawal Batagarawa, Comrade Solomon Dalung and host of others. Crucially, it is also the new home for the masses who supported Peter Obi and the structures loyal to Atiku Abubakar . This unity is our strength. It means that for the first time since 1999, the votes of the progressive majority will not be split among multiple opposition candidates. They will be consolidated behind one candidate on the ADC platform, making victory not just a dream, but a mathematical certainty.
This is a coalition built to last. As the ADC’s National Secretary for Membership Mobilisation, Sadiq Yar’adua, stated, “What we are creating is a mass movement, not something driven by an individual… a widely accepted mass movement based on values and issues, not personalities.” We are building an institution, not a personal estate.
More than slogans: A covenant of governance with the people
The ADC stands apart because it is offering a clear, actionable covenant with the Nigerian people, moving beyond the empty slogans we have endured for years.
The party’s national chairman, Senator David Mark, has declared that the ADC will be “a party of purpose and determination,” anchored on four non-negotiable leadership standards: Character, Competence, Courage, and Discipline . Our commitment is to restore faith in our institutions. We will defend the separation of powers, restore legislative and judicial independence, and strengthen oversight so that budgets serve the public interest, not private appetites .
2027: A potent cocktail of mass discontent and electoral power
If the APC could be so roundly defeated in its own strongholds in 2023, when the level of hardship was a fraction of what it is today, what chance do they have in 2027?
Today, Nigerians are pushed to the wall. A recent World Bank report confirms that a heartbreaking 139 million Nigerians now live in poverty, a sharp increase from 87 million in 2023 . This means in just two years, the APC government has pushed over 50 million citizens into destitution . This widespread anguish is not a political liability; it is the potent fuel for a political revolution.
Furthermore, the electoral demographics are shifting in our favour. Recent voter registration data shows that women are now leading the charge, constituting 52.15% of new registrants . This bloc, historically concerned with issues of economic empowerment, healthcare, and security, is aligning perfectly with the ADC’s people-oriented manifesto and will be a decisive force in 2027 .
Even within the South-West, President Tinubu’s presumed stronghold, there is palpable discontent. ADC chieftain Sadiq Yar’adua rightly asks, “Haven’t you seen videos of demonstrations in Lagos, his own state, where people were complaining, ebi n pa wa o (we are hungry)?” This growing sentiment confirms that Tinubu may very well lose the South-West in 2027 .
A clarion call to action
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, the evidence is overwhelming. The myth of the invincible political structure has been shattered. A united, purpose-driven alternative with a clear plan has emerged. And the people, in their millions, are yearning for deliverance.
Let no one deceive you with talks of “the Governors are joining APC.” Let them all join! The 2023 results have already proven that their influence is a paper tiger. This election will not be a battle of political structures; it will be a battle of the masses against a corrupt and out-of-touch elite.
The task before us is clear. We must register, we must mobilize in our wards and communities, and we must protect our votes. The power to take back our country is in our hands, not in the palaces of the Governors.
Let the 36 State Governors join the APC; together, they will lose and give way for a better Nigeria.
ADC! Arise!
Nigerians, ARISE! Support, mobilize, and in 2027, let us vote ADC for a Nigeria that works for all.
Akibu Dalhatu is a political analyst and a passionate advocate for democratic renewal
writes from Sokoto.
