Barely 24 hours after the formation of what has been called a political coalition aimed at galvanising support of the electorates to dislodge the Bola Ahmed Tinubu led All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 presidential election, the newly merged African Democratic Congress (ADC) is embroiled in a crisis following the appointment of Rauf Aregbesola as interim national secretary.
A group of stakeholders of the ADC have rejected his appointment, saying the move is an attempt by “powerful men” from the PDP to hijack the party.
In a statement signed by Dr. Musa Isa Matara, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, and made available to journalists on Wednesday, the group described the appointment as lacking due process, transparency, and broad-based legitimacy.
“The ADC is not a private coalition platform to be hijacked by any elite group or individuals—regardless of how eloquent or ideologically polished their speeches may sound,” the statement read. “Our party has structures, leadership organs, youth and women wings, and constitutional guidelines—none of which were consulted or respected in the announcement of this so-called appointment.”
The group cited several reasons for rejecting the appointment of the ADC interim national secretary, including lack of legitimate mandate, false coalition claims, unresolved legal crises, and undemocratic culture.
They warned incoming members to be cautious, saying some individuals are attempting to sell out the party’s soul for material personal gain.
“The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers,” the statement emphasised.
The stakeholders expressed particular concern over the party’s youth wing, questioning the absence of youth leaders in the decision-making process. “For a speech that claims to care about youth inclusion, where was the youth wing of the ADC in all this?” they asked.
The group also highlighted the party’s unresolved legal crises, warning that any coalition attempt built on shaky legal ground is irresponsible and potentially self-destructive.
“Let it be known to those who are trooping into our party under this chaotic coalition arrangement that the ADC has been battling unresolved legal crises since the 2023 general elections,” the statement read.
The stakeholders called on all genuine members of the party to reject the attempted takeover and stand firm on accountable leadership, transparent decision-making, and people-powered party structure. They vowed to defend the party’s sovereignty and uphold its constitutional guidelines.
“Until a legitimate, constitutionally-backed ADC National Convention or NEC confirms leadership changes, no one has the moral or legal right to speak for our party nationally,” the statement concluded.
