2027: ADC Challenges APC to Produce Evidence as Atiku-Morka War Escalates
By Akin Alade
The political battle ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election has intensified as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to provide concrete evidence to support allegations levelled against its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
The ADC response followed comments by APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, who raised several past controversies involving Atiku while questioning his suitability for the presidency.
Rather than allowing the allegations to dominate the political conversation, the ADC campaign council, through its Director of Strategic Communications, Phrank Shaibu, challenged the APC to identify any court judgment convicting Atiku of corruption in connection with the issues cited by Morka.
The council argued that allegations, investigations and references in reports should not automatically be presented as criminal convictions. It specifically disputed aspects of the APC’s interpretation of issues surrounding the Mambilla power project, the Siemens controversy, the William Jefferson case and a United States Senate investigation.
On the Mambilla matter, the ADC said the International Chamber of Commerce arbitration proceedings concerning a $500,000 payment involving Jennifer Douglas, Atiku’s former wife, should not be presented as a finding that Atiku personally received a bribe or was convicted of corruption. The council said the tribunal’s observations should be distinguished from a criminal conviction.
The campaign council also turned the spotlight on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, raising questions concerning a historical United States forfeiture case involving $460,000 and calling for greater transparency around records connected to the matter. Tinubu has denied wrongdoing and was not criminally charged or convicted in that forfeiture case.
The ADC further referenced Tinubu’s 2011 appearance before Nigeria’s Code of Conduct Tribunal over allegations concerning foreign bank accounts while he was governor of Lagos State. The charges were struck out after the tribunal found that the relevant procedure had not been followed.
Beyond the competing allegations, the latest exchange has widened the political debate to include the economy and the everyday pressures confronting Nigerians. The ADC campaign council argued that attacks on Atiku do not address concerns over food, fuel, transportation and electricity costs.
The APC, however, has maintained its position that the controversies cited against Atiku raise questions about his record and accountability. Morka previously referenced several matters involving the former vice-president and described them as documented in official records, court proceedings and legislative reports.
The exchange signals a broader feature of the emerging 2027 campaign: political parties are increasingly seeking to define their opponents through their past records while simultaneously defending their own records in government.
With Atiku now heading the ADC’s presidential campaign structure, the confrontation between the opposition coalition and the ruling APC is likely to remain centred on competing claims over economic performance, integrity, governance records and the interpretation of historical legal and investigative documents.
As the 2027 contest develops, voters will have to examine the underlying documents, official records, policy proposals and independently verifiable evidence behind competing political claims rather than relying solely on statements issued by campaign organisations.
