The Adamawa State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC)—the home state of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—has been thrown into a deep crisis following the exit of key party figures, deepening a factional war that has now produced three rival groups.
What began as a dispute over the control of the state party structure has escalated into a three-way supremacy battle, with each faction led by a prominent political figure: former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal; former Senator Aishatu Ahmed (popularly known as Binani); and former Senator Ishaku Abbo.
In a significant blow to the ADC, the factions loyal to Binani and Abbo have both announced their departure from the party.
The Binani-led faction was the first to declare a mass resignation. In a communique issued after a stakeholders’ meeting on Saturday, signed by Mijiyewa Kugama and Saidu Komsiri, the group accused the ADC leadership of a “total collapse of internal democracy” and the manipulation of recent party congresses.
The faction rejected the newly elected leadership in Adamawa, describing the entire process as a “sham.” It announced its “immediate and irreversible” exit from the ADC, leaving a major vacuum in the party’s structure in the state.
On Monday, Senator Ishaku Abbo, who represented Adamawa North Senatorial District, officially confirmed his defection from the ADC. While urging his supporters to remain calm, he promised to unveil his new political platform soon.
“I will officially announce my [political] party this weekend. My supporters and those who want to run for office and win in 2027 should wait for me. I will lead you to victory,” Abbo said.
He drew parallels with recent political upsets to bolster his confidence, noting: “Peter Obi moved to the Labour Party barely six months before the election and won 12 states, the same as Tinubu whose party was in power for eight unbroken years. President Faye of Senegal came out of prison two weeks before the elections and won the presidential election.”
Abbo, who had initially sought reconciliation within the ADC, struck a defiant tone: “While we pray for the quick resolution of the crises within the ADC, we the real stakeholders hope for the best but are fully prepared for the worst. All our supporters should be on alert and fully prepare for the 2027 elections as I lead from the front.”
In a stark message to his young followers, he added: “Dear youths, know this and have peace: politics is war; you don’t win by being nice.”
With two of the three factions now formally exiting, the ADC in Adamawa State faces an uncertain future, while the political landscape ahead of 2027 grows increasingly volatile.
