African Democratic Congress (ADC) vice-presidential candidate Rotimi Amaechi says ADC leaders will retire if APC wins 2027 election, warning that a victory for President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress could end the active political careers of his generation of opposition leaders.
Amaechi made the comments on Wednesday at the ADC National Women League Conference in Abuja.
He urged party leaders who are not from the Federal Capital Territory to return to their states and begin grassroots mobilisation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
“If you are not from FCT, go home and campaign,” Mr Amaechi told supporters at the conference.
He said he would also leave Abuja to campaign and engage voters at the grassroots.
Amaechi said the party could not afford to depend only on activities in Abuja. Instead, he urged its leaders to strengthen their structures in states, local government areas and wards.
According to him, ADC leaders will retire if APC wins 2027 election, making the 2027 contest particularly important for the opposition party’s leadership.
“Let me tell you what will happen, we the crop of leaders you see here, if APC wins the 2027 elections, we are retired from politics,” he said.
“So if you don’t want us to retire from politics, we must go home.”
Amaechi also called on ADC members to focus on delivering votes from their respective wards.
He said the party would need strong grassroots support to challenge the APC in the presidential election.
“If you bring two thousand votes per ward, just bring two thousand votes and we have won the election,” he said.
The former Rivers State governor also referred to the 2015 presidential election, when the APC defeated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the federal level.
He said ADC members should learn from the mobilisation strategy used during that election.
Amaechi also highlighted the role of women in political mobilisation. He urged members of the ADC National Women League to return to their communities and work with voters ahead of the election.
The comments come as political parties begin preparations for the 2027 general elections. The ADC is seeking to expand its grassroots presence and challenge the APC and other major political parties.
However, the impact of the party’s mobilisation will depend on its ability to translate national support into votes across individual wards and constituencies.
For Amaechi, the message to ADC leaders is clear: leave Abuja, return to the grassroots and campaign.
The former transport minister has therefore framed the 2027 presidential election as a critical contest for the future of the current ADC leadership.
