Umar Ardo Anticipates Atiku's Success in ADC Primary, Calls Consensus Unlikely

Umar Ardo, who leads the League of Northern Democrats, has stated that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has a strong chance of securing victory in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary should he choose to enter the race.

In a recent appearance on AIT's programme, Focus Nigeria, Ardo shared insights he had gathered leading up to the upcoming primary election of the party.

He acknowledged that while there may be discussions around the possibility of a consensus candidate, such an arrangement would necessitate key contenders like Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi to relinquish their ambitions, an outcome he considers unlikely.

Ardo detailed, "A consensus can only occur if major candidates voluntarily withdraw in favor of a single nominee, which will be challenging due to the current political dynamics and the robust support each contender enjoys."

He elaborated that achieving a consensus implies that contenders would indeed have to step aside, emphasizing that figures such as Atiku, Obi, Amaechi, and others would likely need to concede to enable another individual to ascend as the party's candidate.

The northern political figure expressed that Obi's ardent supporters, known as "the Obidient Movement," would fiercely oppose any attempts for him to withdraw, though he mentioned that Obi could potentially agree to do so under certain situations.

Moreover, Ardo surmised that while Atiku's backers might be more amenable to a consensus, it is improbable that Atiku himself would step back from contesting.

Ardo strongly believed that if all aspirants continue with their campaigns for the primary, Atiku stands a favorable chance of winning the party's nomination, irrespective of whether the election is conducted through direct votes or delegate selections.

He stated, "If all candidates participate in the primaries, Atiku is bound to secure the win, whether it’s through delegate selection or direct primaries. He will undoubtedly clinch the nomination, even if the process occurs multiple times."