2027: ADC will not zone presidential ticket, says El-Rufai

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, says the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will not zone its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

El-Rufai, a chieftain of the coalition-led ADC, spoke on Trust TV’s 30 Minutes programme, where he addressed the party’s preparations for 2027 and internal organisation.

He said the ADC is a coalition of individuals rather than parties, explaining that this accounts for its quieter public posture compared to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014.

“I assure you that our party is working, it is organising quietly, not like APC did noisily in 2014,” he said.

El-Rufai said membership registration had just begun and would be followed by congresses and conventions to replace the interim leadership inherited by the party.

He said issues around presidential and governorship candidates would be resolved within weeks, adding that the ADC would allow open contests at all levels.

“We will not have zoning. We will not have any of that thing. No consensus, no forcing anyone to step down; everyone will be given the opportunity to contest,” he said.

El-Rufai said the party was mobilising aggressively at the grassroots, particularly at polling unit and ward levels.

“We are mobilising very, very aggressively at the lowest levels, at the polling unit ward levels. We’re not mobilising people to be violent. We’re mobilising people to ask questions,” he said.

El-Rufai said dissatisfaction with the federal government was widespread and being quietly harnessed by the ADC.

“I assure you that this Tinubu government will go back where it came from … by the grace of God in 2027,” he said.

The former governor also criticised defections of opposition governors to the ruling party, saying political power ultimately rests with voters, not incumbents.

“There is a difference between governors and the voters. The governor has only one vote,” he said.