Nigeria’s political opposition faced a challenging 2025, marked by significant fragmentation, high-profile defections, and internal crises, as the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) steadily consolidated its power ahead of the crucial 2027 general elections. Major parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), grappled with a severe erosion of public confidence and weakened structures. This landscape prompted a desperate search for relevance, culminating in the formation of a broad coalition under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in July, offering a glimmer of hope amidst widespread skepticism.
Spearheaded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who consistently advocated for a united front since the 2023 presidential election loss, the coalition emerged from the deepening internal turmoil within the PDP. By mid-year, these efforts solidified into the formal adoption of the ADC as its platform, drawing together a diverse array of political heavyweights. Notable figures joining included Peter Obi, the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, and former governors such as Rotimi Amaechi, Rauf Aregbesola, and Nasir El-Rufai.
At its Abuja unveiling, former Senate President David Mark assumed the role of interim national chairman, with Rauf Aregbesola appointed interim national secretary, appointments later ratified by the ADC’s National Executive Council. Mark articulated the coalition’s core mission as halting Nigeria’s “authoritarian drift,” accusing the current administration of undermining democratic institutions and pushing the nation towards a one-party state. He issued a stark warning about threats to democracy and national unity, urging broad participation.
Despite the initial momentum, the coalition quickly encountered internal disputes, including friction with some longstanding ADC members. Leaders maintain that the platform provides a vital fresh start for the opposition as preparations for the 2027 elections quietly commence. However, key fault lines persist, notably Peter Obi’s ongoing hesitation to formally commit, driven by his own presidential aspirations for 2027, and the enduring ambitions of Atiku Abubakar. How these prominent figures manage their respective presidential bids will likely determine the coalition’s ultimate cohesion.
The Peoples Democratic Party, once Nigeria’s dominant political force for 16 years, epitomizes the opposition’s precipitous decline. In 2025, the PDP experienced unprecedented humiliation, resembling a political marketplace where both the ruling APC and the nascent ADC coalition actively recruited defectors. The party, which once boasted of ruling for 60 years, now struggles to retain even four governors, having lost seven within the year, fueling concerns of a looming one-party state.
Analysts largely attribute the PDP’s deep-seated crisis to the unresolved fallout from the 2023 elections, particularly the contentious decision to abandon established zoning arrangements for the presidential ticket. Following eight years of a northern president, expectations for a southern candidate were high. Instead, the ticket was declared open, leading to a bruising contest between Atiku Abubakar and then-Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, whose subsequent loss and Atiku’s refusal to choose him as running mate profoundly fractured the party, creating lasting hostilities.
Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP’s national publicity secretary, acknowledged past errors but asserted the new leadership’s commitment to rebuilding, aiming to reclaim its role as the primary opposition force despite challenges from the ADC-led coalition. Nevertheless, the party’s instability triggered a wave of high-profile defections, with governors from Delta, Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Enugu, Taraba, and Plateau states moving to the APC. Osun State’s governor, Ademola Adeleke, joined the Accord Party, with insiders suggesting re-election concerns heavily influenced these “marriages of convenience.”
The Labour Party, which gained significant national traction through Peter Obi’s 2023 presidential campaign, also endured a turbulent 2025. Its initial grassroots momentum quickly eroded amid intense factional warfare, characterized by rival national executives, protracted court cases, and disputes over party ownership. This internal strife crippled decision-making, weakened its legislative presence, and hindered its ability to convert widespread electoral goodwill into robust, sustainable party structures, prompting some officials to quietly drift away or align with the ADC.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), largely centered around Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso’s influence, similarly struggled. After a strong showing in Kano in 2023, the party was consumed by internal disagreements regarding leadership, strategy, and external alliances throughout 2025. The NNPP found it difficult to expand beyond its regional strongholds, with defections and quiet negotiations with both the APC and the ADC coalition exposing deep uncertainty about its long-term trajectory and Kwankwaso’s future political calculations. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) remained largely on the fringes, hampered by leadership disputes and a limited national presence.
As 2026 approaches, the ADC-led coalition stands as the opposition’s most cohesive, albeit fragile, experiment. Its primary appeal lies in a pragmatic calculus: the belief that only a combined network of structures, resources, and influential political figures can effectively counter the APC’s formidable dominance. Sceptics point to the inherent challenges of diverse personalities, overlapping ambitions, and unresolved internal tensions as potential pitfalls for the nascent alliance.
Supporters, however, argue that even a flawed unity represents a superior alternative to the profound fragmentation that characterized Nigeria’s opposition landscape in 2025. The critical question remains whether the ADC can transcend mere symbolism, establish organizational discipline, effectively manage the competing egos of its prominent members, and ultimately present a credible and unified alternative to the ruling party. For now, it embodies a faint but crucial glimmer of hope, serving as a last strategic gambit for an opposition battered by internal strife and facing a rapidly approaching 2027 election cycle.
