The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has fired back at the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), stating that the ruling party’s scramble to recruit opposition members will not save it from defeat in the 2027 general elections.
This declaration came in response to a claim by the APC National Chairman, Dr. Nentawe Yilwatda, that “key ADC figures” would be defecting to the ruling party soon.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC argued that this move underscores the APC’s deep-seated anxiety over its own unpopularity.
“The attention of ADC has been drawn to the declaration by the National Chairman of APC at a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos, that key ADC figures would be received into the APC next week. This statement underscores a deep realisation by the ruling party that it cannot be saved, even if all the governors in Nigeria defected to the ruling party,” Abdullahi stated.
He further asserted that the APC’s drive for new members is a direct result of the hardship it has inflicted on citizens. “The truth remains that the APC realises that it has become the most hated party in Nigeria, and no amount of defection can save the party from Nigerians whose lives and livelihoods the ruling party has destroyed since it came to power,” the statement read.
The party’s rebuke of the APC unfolded alongside a significant rally in Kaduna State, where Governor Uba Sani declared that the defection of four state assembly lawmakers and five House of Representatives members, along with thousands of their supporters, had made the state “95 per cent APC.”
Governor Sani, who received the defectors at a mega rally, assured them that the APC “is one family which does not discriminate against its members,” adding that “those that have joined our party today and those that have been with us since the creation of this party will have the same privileges.”
Amidst the political realignments, the ADC also sounded an alarm on the safety of its members and the integrity of future polls. In Lagos, local chapter chairmen, led by Ugochukwu Anaere, condemned threats made by a transport union leader against ADC members, describing the comments as “careless, barbaric, uncivilised, provocative and dreadful.”
They called for the individual’s immediate arrest and prosecution, citing fears of a recurrence of the attacks their members faced during the 2023 elections.
Consequently, the ADC is demanding urgent amendments to the 1999 Constitution and the 2022 Electoral Act to guarantee the sanctity of the ballot, citing concerns over the independence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the judiciary.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to changing the nation’s trajectory, positioning itself as a viable alternative for Nigerians whom it says continue to suffer “untold hardship” under the incumbent government.
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