Former Adamawa North Senator Ishaku Abbo Dumps ADC, Set to Unveil New Party This Weekend

Former Senator Ishaku Elisha Abbo has officially exited the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and will announce his new political party later this weekend as the party grapples with escalating internal crisis.

The announcement came barely 48 hours after the camp of Senator Aishatu Dahiru Ahmed, popularly known as Binani, withdrew its support from the ADC in Adamawa State, dealing another blow to the opposition platform in the Northeast. Abbo made the declaration on Monday, April 20, 2026, through his verified Facebook page, where he urged his teeming supporters and aspirants eyeing various elective positions in Adamawa to hold on for his leadership.

“I will officially announce my party this weekend. My supporters and those who want to run for office in Adamawa state and win in 2027 should wait for me. I will lead you to victory,” Abbo stated emphatically.

The former lawmaker, who represented Adamawa North in the 9th and 10th National Assembly before his mandate was upturned by the Court of Appeal in October 2023, expressed strong confidence that the over 10 months remaining to the 2027 general elections provide ample time to mobilise and clinch victory in the state. He drew parallels with the 2023 presidential election, noting that Peter Obi joined the Labour Party just six months to the polls and still secured victory in 12 states, matching the performance of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which had held power for eight unbroken years at the time.

“We have over 10 months to the elections, and you are telling me that it’s too late to move to a new party and win the election? I have moved around Adamawa state, embedded myself with the grassroots, and mobilised people for the past 3 years. Wait and see me win,” Abbo added.

Political observers in Adamawa describe Abbo’s move as a significant development in the unfolding realignment ahead of 2027. The ADC has been rocked by leadership tussles at the national level, including factional battles between the Senator David Mark-led group and others, recent expulsions at its national convention, and court cases that have weakened its structure in key states like Adamawa. Binani, who joined the ADC in March 2026 after leaving the APC, had also pulled out with her supporters amid the turmoil.

Abbo, a known grassroots mobiliser who began his senatorial journey with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 before defecting to the APC in 2020, has consistently positioned himself as a voice for the ordinary people of Adamawa. His three-year intensive engagement across the state’s 21 local government areas, sources close to him say, has built a formidable network that transcends party lines.

With Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of the PDP maintaining a firm grip on the state machinery and the APC positioning itself for a comeback, Abbo’s impending announcement is expected to further shake the political landscape. Analysts believe his defection could attract other disaffected politicians and youth groups, potentially reshaping the contest for the governorship and National Assembly seats in 2027.

As the clock ticks towards the weekend reveal, political watchers in Yola and across the Northeast are keenly awaiting Abbo’s choice of platform, which many believe could emerge as a major third force or alignment in the battle for Adamawa’s soul.