…Descbribes party as rickety special purpose vehicle
By James Adamu in Abuja
Former presidential aide and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Okoi Obono-Obla, has dismissed comparisons between Nigeria’s ruling party and the fledgling African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing such analogies as fundamentally flawed.
Obono-Obla in an opinion shared to our correspondent, argued that the ADC lacks the ideological foundation, historical evolution, and structural depth that propelled the APC to national prominence.
“There is no basis for any analyst who knows his or her onions well to compare the APC and the ADC—even at the formative stage of the APC,” Obono-Obla stated. “ADC seems to be a hastily constructed, rickety special purpose vehicle which is not grounded in any ideology or direction but formed merely to wrestle and attempt to grab power.”
The fiery critic challenged the ADC’s policy credentials, asking pointedly: “What is the policy agenda for the ADC to replace the economic regime we currently have in the country?”
Obono-Obla traced the APC’s organic growth to Nigeria’s Fourth Republic beginnings in 1998, noting its roots in the defunct Alliance for Democracy (AD) that dominated Southwestern politics. “The APC is an offshoot of the defunct Alliance for Democracy that won all five governorships and almost all the State Assembly seats in South Western Nigeria in 1999,” he recalled.
The legal practitioner highlighted how the party evolved through strategic mergers: “By the time the ACN, ANPP, CPC and factions of APGA merged, they had more than ten governors, as well as State and National Assembly members in over 24 states of the federation.”
In stark contrast, Obono-Obla painted the ADC as organisationally weak, citing its lack of elected representation. “The ADC is a fringe and obscure party driven by factionalization, with no state governor and no representation in the State or National Assembly,” he asserted.
The Cross River born politician revealed his astonishment at the party’s leadership choices: “On 9th July 2025, the list of State Chairmen of ADC was published… The name I saw made me cringe. It was an unknown and indescript politician whom I have never encountered, despite being a close observer of politics in my state since 1999.”
Obono-Obla concluded with a damning verdict: “Honestly, the ADC is a non-starter… The ADC’s current political profile, lack of institutional depth, and absence of grassroots structures make it improbable that it will replicate the strategic and historical build-up that defined the APC’s rise.”
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