Politics
2027: ADC chieftain warns David Mark, others against imposition
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Mallam Salihu Lukman, on Tuesday, cautioned the newly inaugurated national leadership of the party, led by former Senate President David Mark, against condoning the “culture of imposition” and internal wrangling that is plaguing other political platforms in the country.
Lukman, a former vice chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress, gave the warning in a statement issued in Abuja, titled “ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy.”
According to him, the ADC risks becoming a replica of the old political parties if the leadership fails to embrace collective leadership and ensure fairness in the management of party affairs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said, “The major problem is the culture of imposition that is widespread across all the registered political parties in the country. It is largely responsible for the absence of internal democracy within all the parties.
“It is also the cause of why elected leaders are unaccountable and unable to be committed to delivering on electoral promises they made to citizens.”
The Kaduna-born politician, who played a key role in building the coalition that birthed the current ADC leadership, recalled the difficulty of bringing together opposition leaders for a common cause.
While commending Mark’s role in sealing the agreement that produced the new ADC leadership, Lukman said the real test of his leadership would be the ability to prevent godfatherism and the imposition of loyalists across all levels.
“After more than 18 months of hard work and negotiations, Sen. David Mark is today, together with his team, taking over as the new national leadership of the African Democratic Congress.
“When some few of us started advocating for a coalition of opposition leaders, most Nigerians, including many of the leaders who are now positioning themselves as the drivers of the process, were quite pessimistic and contemptuous,” he said.
Lukman expressed disappointment that some leaders within the coalition of already taking steps to manipulate the party’s internal processes as though victory in the 2027 elections were assured.
He therefore warned that unless the ADC charted a new course and earned the trust of Nigerians, the party risked becoming “another variant of our old parties.”
The party chieftain also warned that Nigerians would not hesitate to abandon the ADC if, within the next six months, the party failed to show evidence of true internal democracy.
“Many are taking steps to manipulate the process of leadership reformation of the ADC. Loyalists are being promoted in a manner that suggests perhaps the 2027 elections are already won.
“The first test of Mark’s leadership is the extent to which he can mitigate all these and ensure that the ADC is not a party that will be controlled by godfathers.
“The leadership should be ready for mass exodus of leaders and members if within the next six months, the ADC emerges as another variant of our old party,” he cautioned, adding that “anything short of that will defeat the prospect of ADC to win 2027 elections,” he added.
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A former presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, Nicolas Felix, has dismissed the newly formed opposition coalition under the African Democratic Congress as no threat to President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Speaking in Suleja on Thursday during the distribution of thousands of litres of fuel to Nigerians, Felix expressed confidence that Tinubu would win the 2027 presidential election with no less than 15 million votes.
On July 1st, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, APC’s 2023 presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi, and other opposition figures launched the ADC as a unified opposition platform to challenge President Tinubu in the 2027 election.
Reacting, Felix maintained that while there’s nothing wrong with opposition leaders forming a coalition, he believes they will eventually fall apart just as easily as they came together.
He said, “In a democracy, you must have opposition. We are not threatened. They are out there campaigning. So far, we have not heard anything they want to do anyway.
“So for us as a party, I don’t see any threat here. There is no threat in this coalition. We want them to coalesce. Like I said the other day, they will gather, but they will scatter because they have nothing to offer. Their intention is not pure. Their motive is not pure.
“As far as we are concerned and the APC, come 2027, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is going to have nothing less than 15 million votes. We know that is going to happen. So there is no threat from the ADC or whatever coalition. Let them come. When the time comes for campaigns, we are going to roll out the scorecard of Mr President.
“Didn’t you watch on TV this morning students on campuses singing, celebrating with joy, who just received the NELFund grant, over N100 billion, with no interest, by the way. I lived in America for 21 years; I had never heard that happen. Over N100 billion given to 600,000 students. So these 600,000 students, they will vote. Their families will vote because they know what it takes to go to school. So we are excited, and we know come 2027, it is going to be a walkover for us.”
He stated that his decision to regularly distribute free fuel to Nigerians is his way of supporting the president’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
The ex-presidential aspirant stated, “We are giving out free fuel to the community. As you know, this is our Renewed Hope season. We are just doing this to put smiles on the faces of the people.
“There is no other motivation, but we just want to give back to the community. We did this in 2023 in Edo State, and we did it here also, and we decided to come back here to make the people happy. As you can see, they are all smiling. We are giving them hope.
“This outreach is for everybody, but we know those who need it more. So, I am even more excited seeing the Okada riders because we believe, you know, I would be surprised if I see a G-Waggon here coming to take free fuel. This is more for the Okada and Keke riders. So anybody that comes, we will be able to, you know, just put smiles on their face. We are just giving back. That is what it is all about.”
Also speaking, APC Deputy National Women Leader Zainab Ibrahim stated that the party is pushing for sthe wift passage of the Special Seats Bill currently before the National Assembly, calling it a potential game changer for women in Nigeria.
She noted that, for the first time, the Ministry of Women Affairs has received over ₦100 billion in budgetary allocation to pursue its key goals and assured that Nigerian women will stand firmly behind the president in 2027.
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Former Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, has formally resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party, citing the party’s inability to provide credible leadership and deliver good governance to Nigerians.
In a resignation letter shared on his official X account on Thursday, dated July 4, 2025, and addressed to the chairman of the PDP in Ward 1, Aiyetoro Gbede, Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Melaye announced his immediate withdrawal from all party activities.
“I hereby tender my resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party at all levels of involvement.
“This decision has become imperative due to the lack of potency and capacity by the party to deliver the Nigerian people from the prevailing political cankerworms that have eaten deeply into the fabric of our dear nation”, the letter partly read.
Melaye, who once served as the PDP’s candidate in the 2023 Kogi State governorship election, said his decision followed deep reflection on the party’s current state and trajectory.
“Having carefully reflected on the state of the party, I can no longer in good conscience participate in the activities of the parties or lend my support to her agenda”, the letter continued.
He further requested that his resignation be treated as a formal and total withdrawal from all party levels and structures.
“In view of the above, please consider this as my formal withdrawal from the party and all its activities at all levels with immediate effect”, the letter added.
In his closing remarks, Melaye expressed gratitude for the opportunity to serve under the party’s platform during his time as a member.
“Thank you for the opportunity to serve under the platform during my period of membership,” the letter concluded.
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A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prof. Jerry Gana, has claimed that former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi would defeat any contender in Nigeria’s northern states if he contested on the PDP platform.
Speaking on Arise TV’s Prime Time on Wednesday, Gana said, “I’m a researcher, and I research opinions. In the northern states, Peter Obi under the PDP will defeat any candidate, because our people are very fair‑minded.”
Peter Obi quit the PDP in May 2022 to lead the Labour Party during the 2023 elections.
Reflecting on the PDP’s roots, the PDP Chieftain reminded Nigerians of the party’s grassroots strength and its pivotal role in restoring democratic governance.
He said, “I must confess that many people have forgotten that the PDP was created as a grassroots organisation. In 1998, we were formed and then, moving to the elections in 1999, we were in every polling unit, because we are the ones who really won the first election.
“Many people have forgotten that the PDP won most of the local governments. When it came to the presidential elections, we won the presidency, we won the Senate, and we won the House. We were totally in control, and that is why we were very delighted that we restored democracy to Nigeria and re‑established civil rule.
“Because for a number of years there was military rule, but we successfully terminated that in a very democratic way, so the PDP was really as it were, a grassroots party. That’s why when we said ‘power to the people’, we meant it because that was what it was, and it has been like that.”
On recent party conflicts, he downplayed their scale, saying, “So when this recent problem happened, it was really among a few elites here in Abuja. It didn’t even go beyond.”
Gana, who served in key roles during Nigeria’s transition to democracy, including Minister of Information and Cooperation from 1999–2003 under President Obasanjo, also hinted at equity in party zoning, adding, “In 2031, it will be the turn of the North. Our people are very fair, and we are building a nation.”
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