A major faction within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly opposed the recent move by a coalition of opposition leaders to adopt the party as their unified political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement released on Monday by the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Musa Isa Matara, the group condemned the development as an “imposed arrangement” and accused unnamed political elites of attempting to hijack the party without due consultation.
“The ADC is not a private coalition platform to be sold to the highest bidder,” Matara declared. “It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers.”
The backlash follows a high-level meeting held last Tuesday in Abuja, where prominent opposition figures—including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, and former governors Sule Lamido, Babangida Aliyu, Sam Egwu, Aminu Tambuwal, and Liyel Imoke—reportedly resolved to adopt the ADC as the platform for a united opposition front.
The meeting also produced a list of interim coalition leaders, naming David Mark as national chairman, former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as secretary, and former sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi as spokesperson.
However, Matara insisted that these appointments are illegitimate, arguing they were made without input from the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), national convention, or critical grassroots stakeholders including state executives, youth leaders, and ward coordinators.
“We warn those coming into the ADC under this arrangement to tread carefully,” Matara said. “Some individuals are clearly trying to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain. The appointments announced at the Abuja meeting carry no legal or institutional weight.”
While expressing openness to future alliances, the faction maintained that any genuine coalition must follow proper democratic processes and involve the wider party structure. It also emphasized that ongoing legal battles stemming from the 2023 elections make the ADC an unstable base for such a coalition.
“Those pushing this merger are ignoring the unresolved legal issues plaguing our party,” Matara added. “Any coalition built on this shaky foundation is not only undemocratic but also potentially self-destructive.”
He concluded by urging caution among opposition leaders “trooping into our party under a chaotic and unratified arrangement.”
The internal resistance casts fresh uncertainty over the coalition’s plan to consolidate opposition forces ahead of the next election cycle.
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