By Suleiman Anyalewechi
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has alleged a grand and orchestrated plot by some powerful forces to make President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the sole Presidential candidate in the 2027 general elections.
The opposition Coalition platform accused the ruling All Progressive Congress, APC, of exacting pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to recognize the Nafiu Bala Gombe as the authentic National Chairman of the party as part of its plan to stop the opposition from contesting against the President.
The ADC national spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Monday March 16, 2026, alleged that some forces within the APC led by a sitting Governor, are presently trying all they could to foment crisis within the ADC, with a view to undermining its capacity to serve as a viable alternative to the much discredited APC and its Government.
This is as the ADC spokesperson emphasized that there is no legal basis to warrant the confusion and leadership crisis the APC is trying very hard to stoke within its rank.
According to him, Nigerian courts including the Supreme Court have longed established the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee, NEC, as the rightful leadership of the ADC.
Abdullahi noted that the Mark-led National leadership was unanimously affirmed after the July 2025 combined meeting of the National Working Committee NWC and the NEC which was also observed by the INEC.
He also referenced a March 6, 2026, Federal High Court ruling that affirmed the authenticity of the Senator Mark’s leadership based on a subsisting Supreme court ruling in April 2025 recognizing the right of political parties to determine issues bordering on their leadership.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, however, vowed that the party is ever ready to deploy all lawful means available to resist the outrageous attempts by the APC-led Federal Government to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
According to Abdullahi, the latest brazen attempt to subvert democracy and undermine the opposition ahead of the 2027 polls is being marshalled by a serving APC Governor with the active collaboration of a senior security official based in Abuja.
The ultimate aim he alleged is to foist President Tinubu as the only qualified candidate during the election.
“At the centre of this scheme is Mr Nafiu Bala Gombe, an expelled member of the ADC who has recently been parading himself as a leader of the party, while collaborating with external interests .
“Mr Gombe, who once claimed to be the Deputy National Chairman under the former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, was duly expelled from the ADC after engaging in actions that were inconsistent with the party’s constitution, its principles, and the collective decisions of its leadership
“It is, therefore, shocking, though not surprising that some elements within the ruling establishment are now attempting to use him as a willing instrument of destabilisation, and plot to forcefully take over the leadership of the ADC.
“The objective is clear: to manufacture confusion within the ADC, sponsor illegitimate leadership claims, and ultimately cripple the only credible opposition platform that Nigerians are increasingly looking up to as a genuine alternative, thereby leaving Nigerians with no choice in the next general elections , despite widespread suffering that the ruling party has brought on the people”, the ADC statement reads in part.
The ADC expressed serious concern over the high level of desperation being exhibited by the ruling APC ahead of the 2027 polls
The party warned that the Nigerian democratic arrangement can not thrive under the situation where the ruling party seeks to capture, infiltrate or manufacture crises in opposition parties for its own political convenience and survival.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
