…Factions clash, as Atiku meets Adamawa leaders, plots anti-Tinubu mega party
…Crisis deepens as aggrieved members sue Sen Mark-led faction
By Austine Agbo Emmanuel
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of orchestrating a covert campaign to destabilise the growing opposition coalition in the run-up to the 2027 general elections.
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In a statement issued on Monday and signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Interim National Publicity Secretary and spokesperson of the National Coalition, the party claimed that senior government officials recently held a discreet meeting with former ADC state chairmen and influential stakeholders from the North-East and North-West.
The statement alleged that the gathering, far from addressing matters of national security or peacebuilding, was part of a calculated effort to pressure party members into supporting a scheme intended to fracture the opposition’s emerging coalition platform.
“We have credible intelligence indicating that this meeting was designed to intimidate, coerce, or co-opt our members into a contrived agenda to undermine the coalition. This is not politics; this is sabotage,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC described such actions as a direct threat to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, warning that sustained political harassment could stifle democratic space and pave the way for a de facto one-party state.
The party linked the alleged manoeuvre to recent developments, particularly the Coalition Declaration on 1 July and the formal adoption of the ADC as the coalition’s political platform on 2 July, events which, according to the party, have deeply unsettled the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The Tinubu-led administration, having clearly lost public confidence, is now reverting to familiar tactics of weakening opposition rather than initiating reforms. The July 1 and 2 events rattled the APC. Their response has been suppression, not self-reflection,” the statement read.
The ADC called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and restrain his appointees from engaging in conduct it described as subversive to democratic norms. It referenced the example of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who it said allowed opposition parties to operate freely in the lead-up to the APC’s 2015 electoral victory.
“President Tinubu must show statesmanship and call his officials to order. Had President Jonathan used similar repressive measures, the APC would not have emerged, and Tinubu himself would not be President today,” Abdullahi added.
Reaffirming its dedication to democratic principles, the ADC reiterated that the coalition movement represents the collective will of Nigerians seeking an end to political manipulation, economic hardship, and unchecked impunity.
“This is not about any one individual or political party. It is about millions of Nigerians demanding change. We will resist, through lawful means, any attempt to drag the country towards a one-party system,” the party asserted.
It also urged Nigerians to stay alert and resist encroachments on civil liberties, pledging its commitment to justice, accountability, and transparent governance.
However, the ADC is now contending with internal turmoil, as factions within the party engage in escalating disputes, legal challenges, and accusations, threatening its role as a unifying force for the opposition ahead of 2027.
On Monday, three aggrieved members, Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila, filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the removal of the Senator David Mark-led interim leadership.
In suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1328, the plaintiffs challenged the legitimacy of the interim appointments, describing them as “a flagrant violation of the ADC constitution and a breach of due process.”
They asked the court to rule on whether the appointments of Senator Mark as Interim National Chairman, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as Interim National Secretary, and ex-Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi as Interim National Publicity Secretary contravened the party’s 2018 constitution.
“The hijacking of the party structure by figures aligned with the merger is unconstitutional and intended to impose illegitimate leadership,” the court documents stated.
Although a hearing date is yet to be set, insiders warned that the legal dispute could derail momentum within the opposition coalition.
In a separate development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, widely seen as a pivotal figure behind the coalition’s revival, met with key ADC stakeholders from Adamawa State at his Abuja residence on Monday.
The delegation, led by State Chairman Hon. Adamu Shehu Yuhanna and 2023 governorship candidate Alhaji Usman Muhd Shuwa, reportedly discussed strategies to bolster the coalition’s influence in the North-East and develop a unified approach to challenge the Tinubu administration.
Atiku, in a statement via his media team, underscored the importance of unity and grassroots mobilisation.
“The Nigerian people are yearning for a credible alternative. We must build a movement that is inclusive, people-centred, and capable of redirecting the nation’s course,” he said.
