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Tag: ADC

  • Why no serving governor would be willing to join ADC – Spokesman

    Why no serving governor would be willing to join ADC – Spokesman

    National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Malam Bolaji Abdullahi has said no sittitng governor is willing to join the coalition because of the alleged intimidation by the Federal Government.

    Abdullahi said this at the third plenary session of the Northern Political Consultative Group (NPCG), in Abuja, on Saturday.

    At the programme which had as its theme: ‘Peace and social cohesion: A panacea to challenges of the North’, Abdullahi said the ADC remains open to everyone.

    “No serving governor would be willing to cross over because of the intimidation that they are facing,” he said.

    “We know what they are doing to them. Some of them who cannot jump to their party are saying we are endorsing their presidential candidate. No problem. But what you are seeing is a conspiracy against the Nigerian people.

    “The ADC welcomes everybody, but we are convinced that we are a movement that has the backing of the majority of Nigerians who are not happy with the direction this country is going.”

    On the 2027 Presidential Candidate, he said the ADC has not entered into any discussions about who will emerge.

    “We don’t have any favourite aspirants or candidates. We are not having any conversation at the moment,” he said.

    “Nobody has ever had any conversation about who will be the party’s flag bearer. We believe that it is too early in the day. Our focus now is to build a political party that is strong enough to deliver on the mission that we have set for ourselves.”

    Earlier, Babachir David Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who is also a member of the coalition, had said the ADC would rally round anyone who wins its presidential ticket.

    “The ADC as a political party is a party that is founded on democratic principles. We are going to conduct congresses and conventions to elect our representatives at the election. And whoever emerges—be it North, South, Central, West—whoever emerges at either the congresses or at the convention, ADC will support it, and the Northern Political Consultative Group will support that decision.”

    So far, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, former governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, have indicated interest in the ADC presidential ticket.

    The coalition has vowed to use every lawful means to unseat President Bola Tinubu, but dismissing their threat, Tinubu described the group as a “Coalition of confusion”.

  • New APC National Chairman charged to return aggrieved members from ADC

    New APC National Chairman charged to return aggrieved members from ADC

    A former presidential aspirant, Chief Stanley Osifo, has charged the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, to do his best to unite and strengthen the party.

    Osifo, a chieftain of the party, who gave the charge in an interview with NAN on Saturday in Lagos, congratulated Yilwatda on his emergence as national chairman.

    This is while urging him to bring back all aggrieved APC members, who had left the party for the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Usifo said Yilwatda’s strength and leadership capacity  would be put to test during the  the upcoming by-elections and off-cycle governorship elections  in some states.

    Osifo said: “Right now, before him (Yilwatda), are the coming elections, the by-elections taking place in different constituencies and senatorial districts.

    “We also have members of APC who have decided to join the coalition that later adopted  the African Democratic Congress because they are  aggrieved.

    “Yilwatda’s acumen is going to be put  to the test with these, to see how he can coordinate and interact with the different levels of the party to ensure victory for all the party candidates in the coming by-elections in August.

    “I think he should do his best to reach out to aggrieved APC members hibernating in ADC because the larger we are, the better for us. So, let us  reach out to those coalition members and bring them to back to ou fold.”

    He also urged the new chairman to take the party back to the  people at grassroots to get more support ahead of the 2027 general elections.

    “I strongly believe that he (Yilwatda) is going to put all in his arsenal  to work to  strengthen APC nationally, working with the states, the local governments, the wards, and then at the unit level.

    “I equally strongly believe that he will also work earnestly with diaspora members of APC. I believe he knows what it takes. His position now is like a national leader of our party.

    “As the chairman, he is the one leading the party, giving direction to the party, giving the party statements. His actions, to a large extent, will determine the party’s outlook , ” Osifo said.

    Urging Yilwatda to do his best to resolve all the leadership issues, Osifo said that the party must follow democratic principles in all decisions.

    “And it is very simple. The majority, not the few, should have the way. So in democratic governance, there is regular elections, there is freedom to contest for any position, there is also no disenfranchisement of members in any elections.

    “Everyone should be given equal opportunity to aspire and contest without intimidation. This is the only tenet that will make the APC stronger,” he said.

    According to him, party leaders must provide a level playing ground for aspirants for any political offices, without the influence of any godfather.

    Osifo, who expressed confidence in the capacity of Yilwatda, urged APC hierarchy to work with the new chairman to take the party to greater heights.

  • Former Ekiti deputy gov, ex-speaker join ADC

    Former Ekiti deputy gov, ex-speaker join ADC

    Prof. Olusola Eleka, former deputy governor under governor Ayo Fayose, and a former Speaker of Ekiti House of Assembly, Boyega Aribisogan, were among the new entrants to the African Democratic Party (ADC) in Ekiti.

    The duo were joined by chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP), who collapsed their structures into ADC during its unveiling in Ado-Ekiti on Friday.

    NAN reports that notable names are Dr Tae Lawal, former Deputy Governor under Governor Segun Oni and Amb. Dare Bejide, former Secretary to State Government.

    The list, which also has Kayode Fayemi’s Commissioner for Information, Akin Omole, with several former political appointees from the local government level as well as executive members of various political parties.

    In his address during the unveiling, Mr Omolayo Omole the state Chairman of the ADC, said the party has the solution to the nation’s several challenges.

    He urged political leaders across parties line in the state to join ADC “for a better Nigeria.”

    Speaking, Eleka said that the ADC is an amalgamation of parties who believed in the “rescue project.”

    “Contrary to opinions, we are not pursuing shadows. We are indeed pursuing reality, and we are going places.

    “ADC has come to stay whether they like it or not,” he stated.

    Prof. Bayo Fakunle, who represented former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, while noting that the party has come to change the narrative, said “nothing can stop a moving train.”

  • How my principal, Obi was covertly deceived into joining ADC -Former aide laments

    How my principal, Obi was covertly deceived into joining ADC -Former aide laments

    Ex-Special Adviser to Peter Obi during the 2023 presidential election, Katchy Ononuju, has accused certain political players of misleading his principal into joining the newly formed opposition coalition. The coalition recently adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its platform.

    In an interview on Wednesday, Ononuju claimed that Obi was misled into believing he would be the coalition’s presidential candidate.

    According to him, the real plan was to use Obi’s popularity to gain attention and then quietly support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential race.

    He said Obi was initially promised that there would be discussions about the conditions for his candidacy after the coalition’s official launch.

    However, Obi was allegedly kept in the dark about internal moves that favored another direction.

    Ononuju stated,
    “The coalition was just a trick. They tricked Peter Obi, saying don’t worry, go and register, go, let us inaugurate. We will zone to the South and after the inauguration declaration, we will now start negotiating on the terms of you being the presidential candidate. I told him that these people are tricking; they are not proper.”

    Ononuju further reminded people of his background with the Obidient Movement.

    “By the way, I served as Peter Obi’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs during the last election. I and Doyin Okupe founded the youth movement from the PDP. We decided that we would not allow the party to run away from inclusion which is driven by zoning. After several pleadings, we convinced Peter Obi to head what we were doing. That is why it became the Obidient Movement.”

    He said he couldn’t stand by and watch something he helped build be weakened by untrustworthy political deals.
    “I would not allow what I founded to be reduced to nothing and that is why I told Peter Obi that I and my people would not support him if he ever submitted to anything that we do not believe will allow our aspirations to be given expression.”

    Ononuju criticized the role of vice presidents in Nigeria, arguing that it doesn’t give much power.
    “You know that when you are Vice President you are nothing. Look at Shettima; remember the days of Goodluck; look at Osinbajo. It does not work that way.”

    He emphasized the importance of zoning between the North and South in Nigerian politics.
    “Our problem is very simple. We worked in the PDP and we know that the pendulum between the North and South in terms of zoning means even if you get to the North in a Volkswagen Beetle, you have gotten to the North. The next thing is that the pendulum must return to the South. If it returns to the South in a Mercedes, it does not matter.”

    He concluded with a firm statement on political fairness:
    “What I mean is that no matter the party you use in getting a Northerner into power, when it comes the other way, it has to be a Southerner. We said if the North has done eight years, it has to be the turn of the South

  • Amaechi, ADC stalwarts storm Rivers State

    Amaechi, ADC stalwarts storm Rivers State

    Members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have stormed Rivers for an official lunch of the party in the state.

    Some of the party members who were at the airport to welcome them expressed optimism that former Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will pair for the 2027 presidential ticket.

    They made their intentions known to NAN at the Port Harcourt International Airport Omagwa on Wednesday.

    They said that they were at the airport to welcome Amaechi alongside other party stalwarts for an official lunch of the party in the state.

    Mr Tele Bathram, a former governorship aspirant in the 2023 general elections said he is optimistic of the party’s victory if Amaechi and Atiku fly the party’s flag.

    Bathram said that the party had put necessary measures in place to take over the 23 local area councils and claim total victory at the grassroots.

    He described ADC as a strong coalition of politicians from the opposition parties and dissatisfied members of the ruling party.

    He said that the aim of the coalition was to reposition the country’s political landscape.

    Mr Christian Akujiobi, an ADC supporter, said that since the emergence of the present administration, citizens, especially in Rivers, have suffered so much deprivation.

    Akujiobi said that ADC stands as the only option with which the state could reclaim its glory and urged residents to rally support for the party.

    However, Mr Williams Ndamiete, a Port Harcourt resident said that the journey of taking over Rivers by the ADC had been mared by distrust.

    “Amaechi has lost support here in Rivers; he can no longer be taken seriously anymore; he abandoned his supporters while chasing national relevance.

    “He may see a rented crowd welcoming him today but not committed followers because those ones have moved on,” he said.

    ADC has been adopted as a coalition of opposition politicians attracting membership from bigwigs across the country.

    Top on the list of members include former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi and former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) Uche Secundus.

    The party’s national chairman is former Senate President, David Mark while former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola is the national Secretary.

  • NNPP denies members’ defection to ADC in Katsina

    NNPP denies members’ defection to ADC in Katsina

    The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), says no any of its Chairmen across the 34 local government areas in Katsina State has defected to the coalition ADC or any party.

    The NNPP State Chairman, Alhaji Armaya’u Abdulkadir, stated this in a statement issued in Katsina on Monday.

    According to the NNPP chairman, their local government chairmen have not defected to any party in the state.

    He said that their attention has been drawn to some publications made in some media organisations and circulated in the social media.

    Abdulkadir said, “The attention of the NNPP Katsina chapter has been drawn to some publications made in some media organisations and circulated in the social media.

    “The publication revealed that 34 NNPP local government chairmen have defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    “The defection, as it was reported, was through the former Secretary to the state government, Alhaji Mustapha Inuwa in Katsina State.

    “It is on record, however, that some of our chairmen, after the 2023 presidential elections, defected to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    “Thus, these same people are the ones that defected to the ADC from the APC. Therefore, their defection was from APC, not from NNPP”.

  • Restriction order on Obi in Edo undemocratic, unacceptable – ADC

    Restriction order on Obi in Edo undemocratic, unacceptable – ADC

    African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned the restriction order issued on the 2023 Presidential Candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi in Edo, describing it as unacceptable.

    ADC’s National Spokesperson, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, stated during a news conference in Abuja on Sunday.

    Abdullahi said that the pronouncements credited to Gov. Monday Okpebholo that Obi or opposition leaders were not welcome in their state was undemocratic.

    “This is not democratic and it’s a very dangerous pattern. Nigeria is a free country, and every citizen of Nigeria has the right to go anywhere in this country.

    “We don’t need a visa in our country. We don’t need anybody’s permission to go to any part of our country,” he said.

    Abdullahi stated that ADC believed that it could only get worse, if it’s not nipped in the board.

    “We in ADC are alarmed; we are worried that we have not even started big political activities.

    “We have not started campaigns and already our governors are saying that some leaders of our party are not welcome in their respective states,” he said.

    According to him, no state belongs to any governor but the people, noting: “We will go  anywhere we want in Nigeria. Nigeria is a free country.

    Meanwhile, Abdullahi has said that he has not heard any of the coalition leaders insisting he must emerge as ADC presidential candidates in 2027.

    “Whether it’s Obi or Abubakar or any other aspirant on the platform of ADC, understand that this is democracy, and we are not going to anoint any aspirant or candidate.

    “Like our chairman has emphasiised, we don’t have a pre-determined agenda. We don’t have any favourite candidate.

    “We are going to provide a level-playing ground and a transparent process for the emergence of our presidential candidate,” he said.

    Abdullahi said while the supporters could say whatever they wanted, it didn’t necessarily represent the sentiments of the people that they claimed to support.

    He advised anybody with a preferred aspirant to get ADC membership card to enable him vote for such an aspirant when the time comes.

    On whether any individual had taken the new ADC leadership to court, Abdullahi said he was not aware of any of such.

    He insisted that the new leadership of the party followed due process in taking over the party, saying it did not just happen overnight.

    “It’s possible that such people threatening to go to the court may not have the correct information. We are confident that we are on solid legal grounds in everything that we have done,” he said.

    Asked while some of the coalition leaders have yet to join ADC, Abdullahi said that he could only speak in respect of Obi and Malam Nasir El-Rufai in that regard.

    “They were granted leave to complete the process of elections, the by-election and the election of their governorship candidates, like the case of Mr Obi in their legacy parties.

    “They have people who have obtained nomination forms to contest election on the platform of those parties.

    “So it’s only logical and fair that they are allowed to complete that process. But they are solidly in the coalition.

    “As soon as that process is completed, they will move in fully,” the ADC spokesperson said.

  • What drove me to ADC – Former Ebonyi PDP Chairman

    What drove me to ADC – Former Ebonyi PDP Chairman

    A former Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi, Mr Silas Onu has said that irreconcilable differences within the party made him defect to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Onu, also a former senatorial candidate of the PDP in Ebonyi, who made the submission on Sunday in an interview, while noting that the decision was”patriotic’, said that the roles of few incumbent governors in the party’s affairs have made the differences irreconcilable.

    “I am, therefore, compelled to pursue my political aspirations in a different but stable platform. I am leaving PDP with a heavy heart as the decision didn’t come easy,” he said.

    He noted that the ADC provided such stable platform and sought for support from his supporters.

    “I pray that we sojourn unto the ADC to continue forging a stronger political movement. This will be in the overall interest of Ebonyi people,” he said.

    Onu was a former Publicity Secretary of the PDP in Ebonyi before emerging it’s state chairman.

  • Ex-PDP governors’ forum DG dumps party for ADC

    Ex-PDP governors’ forum DG dumps party for ADC

    Hon. C.I.D Maduabum, the immediate past Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum (PDP-GF), has defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Maduabum, a former two-time member of the House of Representatives, announced his defection in a statement he personally issued on Sunday in Abuja.

    “The PDP today is a shadow of its former self”

    He attributed the alleged hijack of the PDP as reason for his decision.

    “After deep reflection, extensive consultations, and careful evaluation of the current political realities within the PDP, I have taken the difficult but necessary decision to resign my membership of the PDP with immediate effect.

    While describing himself as a committed democrat, he said, “I have dedicated significant portions of my political life to building the PDP as a platform for democratic consolidation and national development.

    “However, the soul of the party I once served with pride has been hijacked by self-serving, unscrupulous elements who are more interested in personal power grabs than in party discipline, internal democracy, or national interest.

    “The PDP today is a shadow of its former self,” he said.

    Maduabum added that the PDP had descended into chaos, internal betrayal, and systematic destruction by diverse forces who had no regard for the principles upon which the party was founded.

    “Sadly, voices of reason are no longer welcome, and genuine reformers are vilified or silenced.

    “I can no longer in good conscience remain in a house that has been stripped of its moral compass and overrun by opportunists.

    “In light of this, I am proud to announce that I am joining the African Democratic Congress (ADC) — a party that now stands as the only credible democratic alternative for Nigeria,” he said.

    He described ADC as an emerging beacon of hope for good governance, integrity, accountability, and inclusive politics.

    He said that the ADC offered the opportunity for principled politics, genuine people-oriented leadership, and a platform for rebuilding the nation from the grassroots up.

    He noted that the ADC coalition included progressive minded people such Mr Peter Obi and others.

    Maduabum said that he joined the ADC not merely as a defector but as a reformer committed to helping build a new political culture.

    “One based on merit, ideology, discipline, youth inclusion, and national unity,” he said.

    He said that the time had come for all well-meaning Nigerians to take a stand against the decay in Nigeria political system.

    “I call on all patriots, especially those disillusioned by the dysfunction in the traditional parties, to rally around this movement for a new Nigeria through the ADC.

    “I remain committed to the democratic ideals of justice, equity, and service to the people.

    “The struggle to rescue Nigeria and restore its promise continues — and it begins now on a new, firmer footing,” he said.

  • Tinubu suddenly appoints people from North due to coalition – ADC

    Tinubu suddenly appoints people from North due to coalition – ADC

    The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said that the sudden apointments by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is nothing more than a “political panic management” due to the coalition force.

    In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC dismissed the appointments as “too little, too late,” adding that “you cannot marginalise a region for over twenty-five months and expect applause because you suddenly remembered on the twenty-sixth month that Nigeria is bigger than Lagos State.”

    According to the ADC, these appointments are nothing more than “political panic management,” a frantic attempt to bandage the gaping wounds inflicted on Northern Nigeria by over a year of calculated neglect, presidential arrogance and unprecedented nepotism.

    “For over a year, this government turned a blind eye as bandits terrorised villages in the north, as our farmers abandoned their land, and as rural economies crumbled under the weight of poorly thought-out fuel subsidy removal,” Abdullahi said.

    “Now, under the rising heat of public discontent, and with the emergence of a formidable opposition coalition gaining traction in the North and across the country, President Tinubu suddenly remembers that there are Nigerians to appoint into positions outside his Lagos.

    “Every major decision of this administration, from subsidy removal to a majority of the political appointments, have been taken without the North at the table. Now that the consequences of those decisions have become glaring, the President is doling out appointments as consolation prizes.

    “But Northerners as co-owners of our great federal republic know better than to be deceived by these token appointments. They see through President Tinubu’s actions — and can sense that this is not genuine. Tokenism is not inclusion, and symbolism is not governance,” the ADC spokesperson said.

    The ADC urged the Tinubu administration to abandon what it described as “Bourdillon-style appeasement politics,” and embrace real national inclusion through consultation, policy equity, and sincere federal character.

    “You cannot patch a broken roof with press releases and photo-ops. And you certainly cannot restore the trust that you have lost with the public by pretending that titles are a substitute for genuine commitment to nation-building.”