By OBSERVERS TIMES
Division has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following reports that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have adopted the party as a platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
Amid the unfolding situation, Sunday PUNCH gathered that the ADC quietly amended its constitution to grant equal rights and privileges to incoming members—a move insiders interpret as a strategic step to accommodate high-profile defectors ahead of the coalition.
However, this development has sparked resistance among some state officials, who have vowed not to relinquish their positions to new entrants. While some leaders expressed openness to leadership changes in the spirit of unity, others insisted they would not step aside for the new power blocs.
Background of the ADC
Founded in 2005, the African Democratic Congress had largely remained on the fringes of Nigerian politics until recent talks about a possible coalition ahead of the 2027 elections thrust it into the national spotlight. This coalition drive gained momentum following internal crises within both the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party.
Despite its newfound relevance, the ADC still lacks a robust national structure. Sunday PUNCH correspondents encountered difficulty reaching party representatives across some states, particularly in the South-South and South-East regions. Though the party has won elections on a limited scale, its successes have not extended beyond the Federal House of Representatives and state levels. In the 2019 general elections, the party secured at least three National Assembly seats and won two Oyo State House of Assembly seats.
Coalition Negotiations and Party Dynamics
Sunday PUNCH gathered that coalition leaders might have settled on the ADC following growing concerns over President Bola Tinubu’s influence within the Social Democratic Party (SDP), which was initially considered as their platform of choice. The SDP’s National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, had declared that the party would not enter into any mergers or adopt external takeover models. As negotiations between the SDP leadership and coalition figures lingered, ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu declared that the party was ready to be the face of the anti-Tinubu coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
A few days after his statement, the ADC was announced as the coalition’s platform. ADC officials who spoke with Sunday PUNCH welcomed the development, declaring the coalition the right initiative to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). While some party leaders admitted that restructuring was part of the coalition plan, others stated that any move to impose new leadership in their states would be resisted.
ADC Leaders Welcome Coalition with Reservations
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the Ogun State Chairman of the ADC, Dr. Femi Soluade, acknowledged the need to give new members a sense of belonging, adding that tinkering with party executives was part of the arrangement. “There has been realignment, re-engineering and, of course, repositioning of the party right from the National Chairman, Secretary and some other national officers to make the coalition work,” he stated.
Soluade elaborated: “We are doing some fixtures at the regional and state levels to accommodate the interests of more than six blocs forming the coalition, whereas the ADC bloc is the senior partner with the allocation of a certain percentage.”
In Rivers State, ADC Chairman Lawrence Egbagiri said, “For the sake of the country, we are willing to relinquish our offices, and the party is glad about it.” Similarly, Niger State Chairman Musa Hassan said the state was also willing to relinquish positions for new members, but only after a resolution based on the ADC’s national convention.
Bauchi State Chairman Hassan Haruna affirmed that the state chapter would abide by decisions of the national leadership regarding party offices. “Coalition means joining forces. Whatever notification we receive from the national leadership is what we are going to dwell on,” he said.
The Kano State Chairman, Musa Ungogo, and Kaduna State Chairman, Ahmed Tijjani, also expressed willingness to cede their offices to new entrants. Ungogo explained that the party’s symbol—a handshake—represents unity among diverse groups working to build a greater Nigeria. “Our party has been in existence for 21 years, and it’s growing daily. We cannot turn away people of high calibre who want to join us,” he stated.
Similarly, Kebbi State Chairman Hauwa’u Muhammed noted that the national leadership would determine the direction regarding party offices. “The national leadership of our party holds the four aces. If they ask us to relinquish our positions to the new entrants, we will, if it will take our party to greater heights,” she said.
Deputy National Chairman Nafiu Bala disclosed that the party’s leadership decided to step aside in favor of incoming members. Bala told a Sunday PUNCH correspondent in Gombe that state leadership collectively agreed to relinquish their positions in the interest of party unity, renewal, and progress.
Resistance from Some State Chairmen
However, some ADC leaders remain steadfast in refusing to be displaced by incoming members. Osun State Chairman Charles Omidiji declared that no defector would be allowed to displace the current leadership. “Why would anyone come into the party and displace us? Who will receive the defectors? It is us. Let people defect to our party, but to hold the view that they will come in and displace us, that will not happen,” Omidiji said. He added that negotiations and concessions could occur but rejected the idea of new entrants taking all positions, advocating for a shared approach.
Plateau State Chairman Sabiu Musa stated that the party was not ready to hold a congress to allow immediate leadership changes for newcomers. “Our doors are wide open for new joiners, but we are not ready to hold any congress at the moment to change the leadership and allow newcomers to take positions,” he said.
Delta State Chairman Austin Okolie also insisted that leadership changes could not be imposed because of the coalition. “If you change leadership, it means you want to replace the people who have laboured for the party. You can’t change the people who have laboured for the party. So, when you are coming, you queue up with the present leadership; we harmonise and everybody will put hands together for the victory of the party,” he stated.
ADC National Vice Chairman, South-East, Chilos Godsent, warned that imposing new members on existing executives would cause internal rancour and weaken the party. “It is very undemocratic if the newcomers request or impose conditions that the existing ward, local government, state, and zonal executive committee members relinquish all the positions for the newcomers without mutual internal restructuring of the party offices on a win-win basis,” he said.
Benue State Chairman Celestine Orbunde echoed this sentiment, stating that new members should not make old members feel useless. “One thing I know is that the new members cannot just come and say they want to take over everything completely, as if the old members don’t know how to build a party. There has to be an understanding among the members, both old and new,” he said.
Similarly, Gombe State Chairman Auwal Barde rejected pressure to relinquish seats for newcomers. “We welcome any positive coalition that will uplift our party, but we won’t hand over leadership to newcomers who barely understand our history and struggle,” he said, insisting that leadership changes should follow due process and not be imposed under political arrangements.
Confirming the constitutional amendment, ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu told Sunday PUNCH that the changes were made to ensure all interests were accommodated amid the coalition plan.
“Yes, we amended the constitution. We are interested in being a vehicle for the transformation of this country, and because of that, we are completely willing to take any steps necessary to ensure that everybody’s interest is accommodated,” Nwosu said.
He disclosed that the National Executive Council (NEC) amended “critical areas” of the constitution specifically for the coalition, with the last amendment made on May 15 during an NEC meeting. Nwosu explained, “When it comes to politics, different individuals show up. So, we want to be sure that everybody is accommodated. The fact that we founded the party doesn’t mean that we own it. The principle of politics is public trust.”
He added that areas amended include rights and privileges of members. Previously, new members had to wait two years before they could be elected or hold party office. “Now, the power we have as members of over 20 years is the same power that everybody has to contest elections,” he said.
Nwosu revealed that the ADC held about five different NEC meetings to amend the constitution to help facilitate the coalition. On managing competing interests, he said, “It is the culture of every ADC person to be compliant. Our culture and tradition is a handshake, which means love and inclusion. What we want is to rescue this country.”
This article captures the ongoing dynamics within the ADC as it positions itself within the anti-Tinubu coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections, highlighting both the party’s internal adjustments and the tensions accompanying the coalition process.
