The African Democratic Congress has firmly declared its intention to challenge and remove President Bola Tinubu from power in the 2027 general elections.
The party also announced a detailed strategy aimed at winning control of the federal government and seizing political power in Lagos State.
This bold pledge was made by the ADC’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, who previously served as governor of Osun State. He spoke at a gathering in Lagos on Saturday, where a large group known as the Conscience Forum, led by Moshood Salvador, officially left the Labour Party to join the ADC.
The event was attended by numerous local ADC leaders, as well as zonal and ward coordinators from the Conscience Forum, representing all 20 local government areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas in Lagos.
Addressing the new members, Aregbesola welcomed them warmly and urged them to dedicate themselves fully to the ADC’s mission. He expressed strong confidence that the party would not only win the presidency but also secure governance in Lagos State, symbolised by the seat of power in Alausa.
The key to this victory, according to Aregbesola, is a straightforward but ambitious membership drive he called the “ten over ten” strategy. He explained that if every committed ADC member successfully recruits ten new people, and each of those ten recruits another ten, the party would achieve an unbeatable level of support across the nation.
“I am happy to be a part of this gathering. I am also happy to receive you into the ADC folds,” Aregbesola stated. “We are the only ones who can make it difficult to take over wherever we are. If the Conscience Forum, good-looking people with highly cultured leadership, can organise this kind of event to make a declaration for the ADC and follow the line enunciated by the leader, surely, Alausa is a sure ticket for all of us.”
He continued, “With our resolve, it won’t be difficult at all to take over the seat of power. It’s a simple strategy of one getting ten, and each of the ten will equally get ten. Its operation is ten over ten. Once we can get this done, that’s the end of it. We will surely meet at the Aso Rock Villa and produce the next president of the country.”
In his own remarks, Moshood Salvador explained the reasons behind his group’s departure from the Labour Party. He cited the internal conflicts plaguing the party as a sign of weakness, claiming it showed the LP was not a viable party for the future. He expressed his belief that the ADC, supported by a wider coalition of opposition groups, presents a credible and united alternative for voters.
Salvador also revealed the considerable size of the group now joining the ADC, stating that the Conscience Forum alone has a membership of over 400,000 people in Lagos State. He confirmed that the entire structure of the forum—including its local government and ward officers—would be integrated into the ADC’s organisation. He added that the choice to announce their defection on the 25th anniversary of the Conscience Forum was symbolic, marking a new beginning in their political journey.
This move is part of a larger trend of opposition realignment in Nigeria. In July, the African Democratic Congress was officially adopted as the chosen political vehicle by the National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement.
The coalition of various groups aims to present a united front against the ruling All Progressives Congress in the next presidential election, and its endorsement of the ADC signals a concerted effort to consolidate opposition votes.
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