There are strong indications that the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Bauchi State, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar (rtd.), has quietly parted ways with the party, as he was spotted at the inaugural meeting of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Although Sadique is yet to issue an official statement confirming his defection, a source close to him told our correspondent that his presence at the ADC event signals a clear political move.
“Certainly, he was at the ADC meeting today in Abuja. He would not have been at the gathering if he was not joining the coalition,” the insider said.
A video obtained by our reporter also showed the former Chief of Air Staff mingling with top dignitaries during the meeting, further fueling speculation about his political realignment.
When asked about Sadique’s political future, the source revealed that he still intends to pursue the Bauchi governorship seat. “That is for sure. He is definitely going to contest in 2027,” the source added.
Sadique Abubakar, who ran under the APC banner in the last election, lost to incumbent Governor Bala Mohammed of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), polling 432,272 votes against Mohammed’s 525,281.
Since the Supreme Court upheld Mohammed’s victory, Sadique has remained largely inactive in APC affairs both at the national and state levels. His absence from party events and silence on key issues had already raised eyebrows before Wednesday’s development.
Party insiders also point to Sadique’s perceived distance from President Bola Tinubu’s political camp during the 2023 campaign. He was not named in Tinubu’s ministerial list or appointed to any federal position, further suggesting a strained relationship with the APC leadership.
In 2023, Sadique accused the then APC Chairman in Bauchi, Babayo Misau, of sabotaging his candidacy by not voting for the party during the election. Misau, however, dismissed the claim and challenged him to take legal action if he believed there was a case of anti-party conduct.
As the political landscape begins to shift ahead of the 2027 elections, Sadique Abubakar’s apparent move to the ADC could signal broader realignments, especially among politicians dissatisfied with the APC’s internal dynamics.
