By Ayodele Oni

“To all suffering Nigerians who are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet; for whom the next meal is not guaranteed, this coalition is for you.”

Protem National Chairman of African Democratic Congress, (ADC), Senator David Mark, has told Nigerians that the essence of the coalition is to stop President Bola Tinubu from turning the country into one party state.

Mark, retired Army Brigadier-General, and a former Senate President, who spoke in Abuja on Wednesday, while addressing members, also lamented the present state of the National Assembly, which has been turned to an appendage of the President.

According to him, “it is on record that within two years of the current administration coming to power, it has hijacked all democratic institutions, and sent our country on a creeping descent into total civilian dictatorship.

“The blatant destabilisation and infiltration of all major opposition political parties is aimed at achieving only one objective, to enhance total state capture and leave Nigerians with no alternative or options in 2027. This coalition is to prevent our country’s descent into a one-party state.

“We have never seen a government so much at home with corruption, a government that disdains accountability in all ramifications.

“A government more concerned with the next election rather than the survival of the ordinary Nigerians. A government so totally consumed with politicking that governance is abandoned, while the majority of our people wallow in hunger and poverty.

“Equally disturbing, is the total emasculation of the legislative institution. Never in our history, have we witnessed a National Assembly where legislators, the trustees of the very bastion of our democracy, saddled with the sacred duty to protect Nigerians from misuse of executive power, are reduced to cheerleaders and praise singers of the President, head of the executive arm.

“Nigeria’s National Assembly has been turned to a mere appendage of presidential authority which is a dangerous conspiracy against the Nigerian people.

‘Without doubt, the transformation of Nigeria’s National Assembly to a mere appendage of presidential authority is a dangerous conspiracy against the Nigerian people.

“It is the reason why the government is able to get away with various whimsical, unconstitutional policies and actions or inactions that have reduced more Nigerians to abject poverty and widened the boundaries of insecurity and fear.

“It is imperative to state that our democracy has a history, which is the reason why we all affirm that the labour of our heroes past shall never be in vain. Today, the labour of our heroes is under vicious attack and our Republic faces a mortal danger.

“This coalition is therefore for all Nigerians who share in our belief that all of us, the young and the old, man and woman, rich and poor, living with disabilities or not, town dwellers or villagers, we all have the patriotic duty to save our country.

“Accordingly, to all suffering Nigerians who are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet; for whom the next meal is not guaranteed, this coalition is for you.”

On the current state of affairs, Mark stated that “We have never seen this level of insecurity across the length and breadth of our nation. Bandits and kidnappers kill Nigerians at will and on daily basis.

“Yet, this ongoing tragedy has not moved the government to any action that would stop these mindless killings and stem the tide of needless bloodshed. Indeed, the Nigerian people deserve a government that protects them and make them feel safe in their own homes.”

On decision to adopt ADC as a platform, he explained that “After extensive deliberations, and discussions, which spanned several months with deserving platforms, the coalition has decided to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the vehicle for this historic journey.

“Having adopted the ADC, we commit ourselves to building and transforming it into a strong political party, not merely as another electoral vehicle, but as a fortress and platform of our revived democracy.

“It will be the harbinger of democracy where members of the party will reign supreme. A party that obeys its rules and constitution in the best democratic traditions. A party of equal stakeholders, equal joiners and equal owners.

“It is the great house into which all patriots are invited. A party that recognises the experience of the old and the energy of the youths. To all Nigerians, we say here is the new big tent into which all patriots are invited.

“Here, the North shall hold hands with South, the youth shall find equal footing with the elder, women will be equal partners with men, the farmer and the technocrat shall labour side by side, not for the triumph of one party over another, but for the triumph of Nigeria herself.”

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

Abia State Governor has dismissed speculations linking him to the possibility of ditching the Labour Party.

This is as he distanced himself from rumours linking his political future  to the emerging Coalition being cobbled together by some political forces led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El -Rufai, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, a former Governor of Rivers State ,and others remotely and indirectly associated with for President Muhammadu Buhari camp.

Peter Obi, the LP presidential Candidate during the 2023 General Elections is, also, believed strongly not to be averse to the coalition efforts, even though, for now, he has not publicly and openly declared his interest to join.

However, during his recent media interactive session, the former Anambra State Governor, gave an inkling.of his readiness to be on the Presidential ballot come 2027, but not on the wings of the LP.

His open admission of exiting LP, has expectedly fueled speculations that the Abia State Chief Executive, may be getting set to quit the Party in which he is the only Governor elected on its platform.

The Governor’s defection rumours are in the main fueled by his perceived closeness to the political camp of Obi,whose influence considerably rail-roaded him to the Abia State seat of power

But at an interactive session with members of the Abia State Global Economic Council in Umuahia, the State Capital, the Governor, noted that he is presently too concentrated on delivering good governance to the good people of the state to bother about the possibility of defection.

He maintained his earlier refrain to the effect that it is too early in the day to start talking about the 2027 general elections or political alignments and realignments.

The Abia State Governor while noting that he is not in anyway looking for where to defect, insisted that his major task now is to discharge the duties assigned to him by Abians.

While reaffirming his membership of, and loyality to the LP, Governor Otti explained that even though the political space is currently  filled with talks about the formation of a coalition, he has neither been invited to, nor attended  any of their meetings.

Similarly, he posited that  while it is true that the LP had some problems bordering on leadership, he nevertheless insisted that the party has since settled the issues, with the Supreme Court pronouncement in April 2025.

” I will just spend a few minutes talking about what some members of the Global Economic Council have been asking me.

“One of them is the report  about Governors decamping to APC. I am still a member of the Labour Party and i am not looking for where to decamp to.

“The second point is about coalition, and a lot of people have been asking me:  ‘are you a member of the coalition’? And my response has been: ‘have you seen my name? Have you seen me attending the coalition meeting?’

“We are just busy doing the work Abia people have given to us. So, we are not attending any coalition meeting. I have not attended any one, and nobody has invited me.

“I am happy where I am. Yes we had issues in the Labour Party. In life, if you don’t have problems, then you are as good as dead. But when the problems come, you rise to the occasion. You don’t run away from them.

“When we had our problems, we fought all the way to the Supreme Court. I am convinced that a few issues that are remaining, as far as the problems are concerned, will be resolved very soon because the Supreme Court judgment is clear enough”, Governor Otti stated.

By Ayodele Oni

What looks like the first major hurdle for the coalition group under African Democratic Congress, (ADC) has surfaced as initial members of the party kicked against its hijack by new defectors.

ADC is an existing  registered political party by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

But major opposition leaders had, on Tuesday, adopted it as their new political platform to challenge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.

The coalition nominated former Senate President David Mark as the party’s Protem National Chairman and a former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, as Protem National Secretary.

Speaking under Concerned Stakeholders of the ADC, Youth Leaders, Women Leaders, State Party Executives, and Ward Coordinators Nationwide flayed the appointment of Aregbesola, a former Minister of Interior, as Interim National Secretary of the Party.

In a statement signed by Musa Isa Matara, National Publicity Secretary, ADC, stated: “We firmly reject the premise and process behind this appointment an appointment that lacks due process, transparency, and the broad-based legitimacy expected in a democratic political party.

“The ADC is not a private coalition platform to be hijacked by any elite group or individuals regardless of how eloquent or ideologically polished their speeches may sound.

“Our party has structures, leadership organs, youth and women wings, and constitutional guidelines none of which were consulted or respected in the announcement of this so-called “appointment.”

“Who appointed Gov. Aregbesola? Which organ of the ADC ratified this appointment? Was the National Executive Committee (NEC) involved? Were state chairmen, youth leaders, and elected national officers consulted?

If the answer is no as it clearly is then this “appointment” is null and void.

“The claim that the ADC has become the ‘platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group’ is misleading. Our millions of members have not been informed or carried along in this so-called coalition.

“If anyone is attempting to force an opposition merger without grassroots consent, they are trampling on democratic ethics and party sovereignty.

“Let it be known to those who are trooping into our party under this chaotic coalition arrangement that the ADC has been battling unresolved legal crises since the 2023 general elections.

“These matters remain in court and unresolved. Any coalition attempt built on such shaky legal ground is irresponsible and potentially self-destructive.

“We warn those coming into the ADC as part of this imposed arrangement to tread carefully. Be mindful that some few individuals are attempting to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain. The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers.

“We stand firmly on the side of accountable leadership, transparent decision-making, and a people-powered party structure. Any process that excludes the very people it claims to serve is undemocratic and must be challenged.

“We call on all genuine stakeholders of the ADC across States, Zones, and Demographic Groups to reject this attempted takeover of our party.

“We are not opposed to coalitions.

We are not opposed to reform.

But we are opposed to hijack, to imposition, and to speeches that sound revolutionary but hide elitist intentions beneath poetic language.

“Until a legitimate, constitutionally-backed ADC National Convention or NEC confirms leadership changes, no one has the moral or legal right to speak for our party nationally.”