ADC Sounds Alarm Over Alleged Plot to Make Tinubu Sole Candidate in 2027
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stark warning, alleging a coordinated plot to ensure President Bola Ahmed Tinubu emerges as the sole presidential candidate in the 2027 Nigerian general elections. In a strongly worded statement released in Abuja, the party accused elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of orchestrating a scheme to destabilize the opposition and undermine democratic competition.
Allegations of APC Interference and Leadership Manipulation
Specifically, the ADC claimed that the APC is attempting to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Mr. Nafiu Bala Gombe, an expelled member of the ADC, as the party's national chairman. According to the ADC, this move is part of a broader strategy to create confusion within its ranks and weaken what it describes as a viable opposition platform. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, signed the statement, which described the alleged plot as a calculated effort by ruling establishment figures to infiltrate and manipulate the ADC.
The ADC insisted that its leadership is unequivocally under the control of former Senate President David Mark, following a combined meeting of its National Working Committee (NWC) and National Executive Committee (NEC) in July 2025, which was witnessed by INEC officials. The party further noted that INEC formally recognized this leadership in September 2025 and that a Federal High Court ruling on March 6 dismissed a suit challenging Mark's authority, affirming that party leadership issues are internal matters.
Details of the Alleged Plot and Broader Implications
The statement alleged that powerful APC figures, including a governor and a senior security official based in Abuja, are driving efforts to impose Gombe as ADC chairman. Gombe, who once claimed to be Deputy National Chairman under former ADC leader Ralph Nwosu, was expelled from the party for actions inconsistent with its constitution. The ADC expressed alarm that political interests are allegedly using him to forcibly take over its leadership and sponsor illegitimate claims.
According to the ADC, the objective is to manufacture an internal crisis within the party, crippling what it calls the only credible opposition platform available to Nigerians. The party warned that such actions pose a serious threat to democratic pluralism and the constitutional right of citizens to support political alternatives. It vowed to employ all legitimate means to resist these alleged anti-democratic forces, emphasizing that Nigeria's democracy could be undermined if ruling parties continue to infiltrate opposition platforms for political advantage.
