ADC Faction has rejected the opposition coalition adoption and alleded party hijack.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has strongly rejected the recent adoption of the party by a coalition of opposition figures led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, warning that the development amounts to a political hijack and undermines the party’s internal democracy.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Musa Isa Matara, criticized the coalition’s move as an elite-driven imposition, accusing certain individuals of attempting to “sell the soul of the ADC for personal gain.”
“The ADC is not for sale,” Matara said. “It belongs to its members—not to political merchants or elite dealmakers seeking a convenient vehicle for their ambitions.”
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The rebuke comes barely 24 hours after a high-level meeting of opposition leaders in Abuja led to the adoption of ADC as the platform for a proposed opposition alliance ahead of the 2027 general elections. The coalition also announced the appointment of former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as interim National Chairman and National Secretary of the party, respectively.
The Abuja meeting, held on Tuesday, was attended by key political figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Sule Lamido, Uche Secondus, Babangida Aliyu, Sam Egwu, Aminu Tambuwal, and Liyel Imoke. The coalition also named former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi as its spokesperson.
But Matara, speaking on behalf of the dissenting ADC faction, insisted that the party’s grassroots structures—including state executives, youth and women leaders, and ward coordinators—were not consulted or involved in any decision to adopt the coalition arrangement.
“The claim that ADC has become the platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group is misleading and undemocratic,” the statement read. “Our millions of members were not informed or carried along.”
The faction warned those entering the party under the coalition deal to proceed with caution, citing ongoing legal disputes since the 2023 general elections.
“These legal matters remain unresolved in court. Any attempt to build a coalition on such shaky legal foundations is not only irresponsible but also self-destructive,” the statement continued.
It also emphasized that the ADC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) has not ratified any of the announced appointments, asserting that any structural changes lacking NEC approval are null and void.
The statement concludes with a warning to the opposition coalition: “Be mindful. The ADC is not a private coalition platform. Those attempting to hijack it for short-term political gain risk igniting deeper internal resistance.”
As the 2027 elections loom, the internal discord may complicate efforts by the opposition to present a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
