Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has formally joined the African Democratic Party (ADC), marking a major shift in Nigeria’s political landscape just 17 months before the 2027 general elections.

Atiku announced his defection on Monday through a post on his official X handle, where he shared photos of himself holding the party’s membership card along with a brief caption: “It’s official.”

His move follows his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on July 16, a decision he attributed to what he described as “irreconcilable differences” within the party’s leadership and direction. In his resignation statement, Atiku said the PDP had drifted away from its founding values, making his continued membership untenable.

Although Atiku had led the push in July for the ADC to serve as the coalition platform for opposition parties seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections, he and other key figures—including Peter Obi and Babachir Lawal—had delayed their official registration.