The African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition entered the political space in July with high expectations from its promoters and supporters.
The coalition brought together several well-known opposition figures who hoped to build a stronger force ahead of future elections.
Its members include the former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, the former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, the former senate president, David Mark, the former governor of Kaduna, Nasir el-Rufai, and the former governor of Rivers, Rotimi Amaechi.
These political actors said the coalition would give Nigerians an alternative and help stop what they described as attempts to weaken opposition politics.
Many observers saw the coalition as a response to the divided opposition during the 2023 general election.
The divisions in that election enabled President Bola Tinubu to secure victory with fewer challenges from rival parties.
Months after its unveiling, the coalition has recorded poor results in the contests held so far.
The first major test came in August 2025 during several by-elections conducted by the electoral commission.
The coalition could not win any of the available seats and has also not secured positions in the local government elections.
Another opportunity came during the Anambra governorship poll held on November 8.
The ADC finished fifth with 8,208 votes in a contest won by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).
APGA secured 422,664 votes, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) received 99,445 votes, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) gained 37,753 votes, and the Labour Party obtained 10,576 votes.
Days before the election, the former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, urged voters to support the ADC candidate, John Nwosu.
Atiku wrote that the poll was a “unique opportunity to end the era of poor governance in the state,” adding that it was also a chance to prevent the ruling party from “snatching and running away with the mandate of the people.”
His appeal did not lead to a strong outcome for the coalition at the poll.
BACKSTORY OF THE ADC COALITION
Before the coalition adopted the ADC as its formal platform, the party held only two seats in the house of representatives.
On July 2, several opposition figures announced the ADC as their new joint structure.
A leadership change followed, with the long-serving chairman, Ralph Nwosu, stepping aside for an interim team led by David Mark.
On July 3, Peter Obi restated his loyalty to the coalition and said it was a collective effort to offer Nigeria a stronger leadership option.
Atiku has continued to speak on social media in support of the ADC and has urged Nigerians to see it as a platform for a wide opposition alliance.
He has repeatedly described the APC government as “incompetent, dictatorial, and responsible for widespread poverty, insecurity, and hardship.”
He has also encouraged young people and community groups to join ADC activities and help strengthen its presence nationwide.
Despite these efforts, the coalition has not performed strongly in the polls held so far.
The recent by-elections and the Anambra governorship contest show that endorsements from national figures do not always translate to strong support at state level.
LOSSES NOT INDICATIVE
The spokesperson of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party does not believe it is underperforming in the elections.
He explained that state and local contests follow a different pattern from general elections, noting that even when the PDP was at its strongest, APGA still held Anambra.
He added that the ruling APC also could not take over the state, and that the recent results should not be seen as a sign of what will happen in 2027.
He said the coalition was formed shortly before the by-elections, and the candidates for those races were picked before the merger.
WAY FORWARD
As the 2027 election cycle draws closer, the coalition now faces the challenge of turning public attention into stronger political organisation.
Its future success may depend on building a wider grassroots structure rather than relying mainly on well-known national figures.
The coalition will also need to show clear strength in more local contests to convince voters of its readiness to battle with the ruling party.
Its next major test will be the Ekiti governorship election scheduled for next year.
Party officials believe the poll offers another chance to measure public support for the coalition across different voter groups.
How the ADC performs in that election may shape public expectations ahead of the 2027 general polls and determine whether the coalition gains broader acceptance or remains a limited political experiment.
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