The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially clarified that Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, are not part of its ranks, debunking recent speculations of their defection.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mrs. Patricia Adebayo, the party stated that Obi remains a prominent figure in the Labour Party, while El-Rufai has no formal association with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), despite claims linking him to a brewing coalition.
“We want to state categorically that Mr. Peter Obi is not a member of the ADC. He has never applied, and no discussions have been held at any level about his possible defection to our party. The same applies to Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who has not joined the SDP, as far as verifiable records show,” Adebayo said.
The clarification comes amid rising political speculations about the formation of a third-force coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, with some media reports suggesting that Obi and El-Rufai could align under a new platform led by elements from the ADC, SDP, and other smaller parties.
ADC leadership, however, maintained that while it remains open to alliances aimed at deepening democracy and offering credible alternatives to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), no formal merger or coalition involving the two politicians has been endorsed.
“Coalition talks are ongoing with like-minded parties and individuals committed to good governance, but we urge the media to avoid premature assumptions. As of today, Mr. Obi and Mallam El-Rufai remain in their respective parties,” the statement added.
Political observers believe that the clarification is meant to douse tensions among party loyalists and maintain internal coherence, especially as the race toward 2027 gradually intensifies.
