By Babatunji Wusu
• Salihu Lukman warns ADC risks being hijacked by political godfathers
• David Mark pledges to uphold internal democracy and reject imposition
• Ali Modu Sheriff predicts ADC’s collapse, claims Peter Obi will return to PDP
• ADC spokesman insists Obi remains loyal to opposition coalition
• Lukman calls for inclusive politics and end to ethnic division in Kaduna
Salihu Lukman, a leading voice behind the coalition-backed African Democratic Congress (ADC), has raised alarms over the creeping influence of political godfathers, warning that the party could quickly lose its democratic identity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Lukman cautioned that coalition leaders may exploit their positions to impose loyalists at all levels of the party’s structure. He pointed to a growing trend where those who once doubted the coalition’s viability are now maneuvering to dominate the party by installing their surrogates. “The next thing is that they will anoint preferred candidates for 2027,” he warned.
He noted that a major test of Senator David Mark’s leadership as Interim National Chairman will be his ability to prevent such impositions and preserve the ADC’s internal democratic framework. Lukman emphasized that many opposition figures initially resisted the idea of a coalition, accusing its founders of being proxies for presidential hopefuls, but are now attempting to seize control of its structure.
The caution comes as Senator David Mark officially assumed leadership of the ADC along with other members of the newly inaugurated National Executive Committee. Responding to Lukman, Mark pledged to uphold core democratic principles. “We shall be committed to full democratic practices that abhor imposition and special privileges. Internal democracy, transparency, and accountability will be our mantra,” he stated during a NEC meeting in Abuja.
Mark also vowed to reform the party’s internal bureaucracy to ensure merit-based appointments. He acknowledged the concerns raised by Lukman, promising a system that values intellectual capacity, integrity, and wide public acceptability over loyalty to powerful individuals.
In the same political climate, former Borno State governor and APC chieftain, Ali Modu Sheriff, dismissed ADC’s prospects, declaring it a party destined to fade within months. Appearing on Channels Television, Sheriff claimed that internal rivalries—particularly presidential ambitions of figures like Peter Obi and Rotimi Amaechi—would tear the coalition apart. He insisted that Peter Obi would eventually return to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), describing the ADC as “a buzz that will die down in three months.”
His comments were swiftly countered by ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi, who asserted that Obi remains committed to the opposition coalition and will not return to the PDP. “Everyone knows the jugular of the PDP is in the hands of the ruling party. Peter Obi, more than anyone else, knows he cannot take the risk of going back,” Abdullahi said during an appearance on Arise Television’s Prime Time.
Lukman, a former APC National Vice Chairman and long-time advocate for internal party democracy, also used the opportunity to urge the ADC to take concrete steps toward inclusive leadership, especially at the state and local levels. Citing the divisive politics in Kaduna State, he called for an end to religious and ethnic-based leadership strategies.
The unfolding developments highlight the high-stakes contestation for control within Nigeria’s emerging opposition bloc. As the 2027 elections approach, the ADC’s ability to maintain unity, transparency, and credibility could determine whether it becomes a viable alternative to the established political parties or falls into the same patterns it seeks to replace.
