OIlushola Omogbehin
Barely a week after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the 2027 presidential candidates of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, a businessman, Prof Chris Uba, has also emerged as the presidential candidate of another faction of the party.
Atiku Abubakar emerged last week as the party’s presidential flag bearer after defeating ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in a primary election held across the country.
However, on Sunday, another faction of ADC, led by Nafiu Bala, declared Prof Chris Uba, as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections and also presented flags to 29 governorship candidates across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
Speaking during the presentation, the party’s factional National Chairman, Bala, said the presidential ticket was zoned to Southern Nigeria in line with the principles of equity, fairness, inclusiveness and federal character.
According to Bala, three aspirants, Dr Bashir Sani, Prince Williams Charles and Prof. Chris Uba initially purchased the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms to contest for the presidential ticket.
He explained further that the party simply followed the consensus option provided under the Electoral Act, therefore the emergence of Uba as its sole presidential candidate after the withdrawal of the other aspirants.
“In adherence to the principle of federal character and in accordance with Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as amended, which recognizes consensus as a lawful mode for the selection or nomination of candidates by political parties, the African Democratic Congress adopted consensus as the method for its presidential, governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly primary election.
“Pursuant to this provision and in the interest of party unity, two of the party’s presidential aspirants voluntarily withdrew from the contest and endorsed Prof. Chief Chris Uba as the party’s sole presidential candidate.
“Consequently, Prof. Uba has been duly returned as the consensus candidate and duly elected to represent ADC as its presidential flagbearer in the 2027 general elections,” he added.
