Presidency Rejects ADC Claims of Plot to Install Tinubu as Sole Presidential Candidate
The Presidency has firmly dismissed allegations by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that influential figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are orchestrating a scheme to ensure President Bola Tinubu stands unopposed in the 2027 presidential election. In a statement released in Abuja, the ADC accused the APC of attempting to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize Nafiu Bala Gombe, an expelled member, as the ADC National Chairman, a move the party vowed to resist to defend democracy.
ADC Alleges Deliberate Attempt to Weaken Opposition
According to Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, this plot is a calculated effort by elements within the ruling establishment to create confusion within the ADC and undermine what he described as the only viable opposition platform remaining in Nigeria. He asserted that the ADC's leadership, under Senator David Mark, was solidified in July 2025 during a combined meeting of the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee, witnessed by INEC officials, leaving no legal basis for disputes.
The ADC statement further claimed that the destabilization attempt is being driven by an APC governor in collaboration with a senior security official based in Abuja, as part of a broader strategy to impose President Tinubu as the sole presidential contender. "Nigeria's democracy cannot thrive where the ruling party seeks to capture, infiltrate, or manufacture opposition parties for its own political convenience and survival," the statement emphasized, warning that such actions represent a dangerous assault on democratic pluralism.
Presidency and APC Respond to Allegations
In response, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, labeled the ADC's claims as baseless, insisting that the issues are internal matters for the ADC to resolve. "This is an ADC party matter. Let the party resolve its internal issues and stop its wild accusations against the APC and President Tinubu," Onanuga stated, adding that INEC would address any concerns regarding party leadership recognition independently.
Meanwhile, Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, attributed recent defections from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to its internal crises and inability to provide a credible platform. During an appearance on Arise TV's The Morning Show, Morka argued that defections to the APC should be seen as an endorsement rather than evidence of a drift toward a one-party state. "When people decamp to the APC, it is an endorsement of the party. It is a statement that the APC can offer what the opposition cannot offer, and that is not our fault," he remarked, dismissing concerns about Nigeria becoming a one-party state as misleading.
PDP Counters and Broader Political Reactions
The PDP, through its National Publicity Secretary Ini Ememobong of the Kabiru Turaki faction, countered Morka's assertions, describing them as "delusional propaganda." The PDP statement highlighted that despite large-scale defections, Nigerians have consistently rejected the APC due to worsening socio-economic conditions. "Interestingly, reality shows that despite the large-scale defections secured by force and inducement by the APC, Nigerians have consistently rejected the ruling party, which is daily ruining Nigeria and Nigerians," the statement read.
Echoing sentiments of discontent, former Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson noted that many Nigerians are angry and hungry for change ahead of the 2027 elections. Speaking at the unveiling of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) digital membership registration portal in Abuja, Dickson urged citizens to seek credible alternatives, describing the NDC as a fresh, crisis-free political movement focused on ideological politics and national development.
Violent Incident and Condemnation
In a related development, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi condemned a violent attack on the ADC office in Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State. Suspected political thugs loyal to the APC disrupted the opening of the party's secretariat, destroying property and dispersing supporters. Obi, in a statement titled "The Attack on Democracy in Bakassi," warned that such incidents reflect declining democratic standards and could fuel further violence if leadership credentials continue to be compromised.
This attack has raised concerns among political observers and civil society groups about escalating political violence and the safety of opposition parties as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections cycle, with key deadlines for party registrations and primaries looming in April and May.
