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Nigeria’s two main opposition leaders have joined a new political party to challenge President BolaTinubu and his ruling party in the next election.<\/p>\n
Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have chosen the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their new political home after breaking away from their respective parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).<\/p>\n
This is one of the biggest shake-ups in Nigerian politics since the end of military rule in 1999.<\/p>\n
Some political heavyweights from Tinubu’s All Progressives Congress (APC) party have also thrown their weight behind the formation.<\/p>\n
The announcement of the ADC is the culmination of a series of talks between the leaders to put up a united front in the 2027 election, rather than splitting their vote.<\/p>\n
Tinubu won the 2023 election with just 37% of the vote after opposition supporters were divided between Abubakar who got 29%, and Obi with 25%.<\/p>\n
Obi had broken away from the PDP after the party chose Abubakar as its presidential candidate.<\/p>\n
At the unveiling of the ADC, interim chairman David Mark said it was an attempt to save the country\u2019s democracy and to stop Nigeria from becoming a one-party state.<\/p>\n
Both the PDP and LP are also battling internal crises which some believe were instigated by external forces.<\/p>\n
Analyst Shehu Iliyasu said Abubakar and Obi are learning the lessons of the last election.<\/p>\n
“Both Atiku [Abubakar] and Obi felt they came so close in 2023 and would have maybe won on a joint ticket so they want to amend their mistake by working together this time around,” he told the BBC.<\/p>\n