Stakeholders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have rejected the appointment of former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s interim national secretary. In a strongly worded statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Bamidele Musa Matara, alongside various youth and women leaders, declared that Aregbesola’s emergence lacked legitimacy and due process, describing it as an elitist maneuver to hijack the party.
The statement emphasized that the ADC remains a grassroots-driven party and would not allow its structure to be dictated by political heavyweights or external forces. Stakeholders argued that Aregbesola’s appointment did not go through the constitutionally required channels, including approval by the National Executive Committee or a properly convened national convention.
They accused unnamed individuals of attempting to impose leadership on the party without consultations with NEC members, state chairmen, elected officers, or key organs of the party. The group warned against turning the ADC into a bargaining chip in elite political deals, especially ahead of coalition talks for the 2027 elections.
Additionally, the stakeholders dismissed recent reports suggesting that top political figures like Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Nasir El-Rufai were aligning under a new coalition platform through the ADC. They described such claims as unfounded and part of a broader scheme to use the party for personal political leverage.
Reaffirming their commitment to internal democracy, the group insisted that the ADC is not for sale and vowed to resist any attempts to undermine its integrity through backdoor leadership arrangements.
