The leadership of the opposition coalition has demanded that its members resigned from their current political parties and join the African Democratic Congress (ADC) fully; although it gave no specific deadline for the transition, The PUNCH reports.

The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, stated this in Abuja on Thursday following a caucus meeting that included senior party leaders and prominent political figures.

The All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party have dismissed a directive by the African Democratic Congress, directing prospective members in other parties to decamp to the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The APC and PDP said the move by the coalition posed no threat and would have no impact on them.

Since the ADC was introduced in July 2nd as the coalition platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections, a few opposition leaders have switched parties to join it.

However, most have yet to formally leave their existing parties.

For instance, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar left the Peoples Democratic Party but has not officially joined the ADC.

Similarly, Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, and several others continue to remain in their respective parties despite associating themselves with the coalition.

Abdullahi also stated that all matters related to the African Democratic Association have now been resolved.

He stated, “Though final order has been given to all members to resign membership of other political parties, the caucus was silent on the timeline,” Abdullahi said.

“The coalition has rested everything concerning the ADA. That means, they are not interested in the registration or otherwise of the association.

“All the presidential aspirants have agreed to support whoever wins the primaries election,” he stated.

He also mentioned that the National Working Committee will soon release the schedule for primary elections in Osun and Ekiti states, in preparation for the upcoming off-cycle governorship polls.

Attendees at the meeting included National Chairman, David Mark, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf, former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, and former Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

APC, PDP react

In response, APC Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, stated that the ruling party is not alarmed by the development, noting that they frequently welcome defectors from other political parties.

Ibrahim, in an interview with The PUNCH, stated, “This is nothing to frighten or put the APC in any state of embarrassment. As a matter of fact, the political atmosphere has given people room to realign. Don’t forget, the APC has been receiving an influx of people who are leaving their parties and joining the APC. So, people are at liberty to change sides and change signs as they wish.

“But I assure you, the APC will only grow in strength. If some leave, others will join, just as others are already joining.

“So, we are not bothered. We’re not bothered. We’re just at our strength. In the last elections, the recently concluded by-elections, it is clear that the ADC does not have the strength to rattle the APC. So, this is nothing to give the APC sleepless nights. You will soon see more people joining from other political parties, including from the ADC.”

The PDP Deputy National Youth Leader, Timothy Osadolor, welcomed the ADC directive, saying it presents an opportunity for all political parties to identify their true members.

In an interview with The PUNCH, Osadolor noted that there are millions of Nigerians available to support various political parties and emphasized that the PDP was not concerned about the coalition’s call.

He stated, “It’s not about the fortunes of the PDP. It’s about democrats being consistent and Nigerians standing by what they believe in. For me, I believe that a man cannot be a man and a woman at the same time.

“So, it’s even good we know those who are of the ADC, those who are of the APC, and those who are of the PDP. At the end of the day, when each party looks at this database and sees whether their strength is enough or not enough yet, they will know what to do about the membership drive and Nigerians who will vote for them.

“It’s a welcome development, we are not bothered. This country has over 240 million Nigerians. I mean, how many of this population are politicians within this country? Many of them can join any party; it’s not about my party. It’s about Nigerians getting more sensitized and enlightened, and becoming part of the process.”

Reacting, the National Publicity Secretary of the New Nigeria People’s Party, Ladipo Johnson, said the party was not nursing any fear of losing its chieftains to the ADC.

Johnson, however, conceded that politics is a game of numbers where if one loses some members, there is always the possibility of regaining double the numbers before a major election.

“Which of our chieftains are leaving? I don’t know who was represented in the ADC. So, I can’t talk on that. I do not believe anyone of note would be there. You see, the period we are in at the moment is like what is obtainable in football, especially in the Premier League, which is called the transfer window.

“Players come and go. As you are losing some people, you are gaining others. And we believe that we will gain more than we will lose, especially among the youth. But be that as it may, we are taking steps and talking to more people. In due time, you will know our stance towards the 2027 election, whether we will be in marriage with someone else, go alone or be part of the coalition.

‘’The party and Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso will be pivotal in the election of 2027 because Kano and the North-West will determine who becomes President then,” he stated.

The factional spokesman of the Labour Party, Obiora Ifoh, declined to speak on the development.

He said, “The ADC is an existing political party. Whatever decision they want to take, it is for them and their supporters. So, we don’t have anything to say about their party programmes and policies.”

ADC woos voters

The ADC has vowed to rescue Ogun State and Nigeria from what it called failed leadership of the ruling APC government citing years of mismanagement of the country’s resources and neglect with untoward hardship heaped upon hapless Nigerians

The party has therefore urged Nigerians to embrace the ongoing voter’s registration exercise, obtain their voter cards and team up with the party to vote out the non-performing APC government across the country in 2027.

This is just as the party also said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo had told them in the past that ADC would have grown stronger to take over the governance of the country by the year 2027.

The immediate past chairman of the party, Ralph Nwosu, disclosed this on Thursday during the party coalition convergence held at the state party secretariat, Abeokuta.

He highlighted several challenges confronting the country under the APC led government including growing unemployment among young people, poor road infrastructure, underfunded schools, lack of support for farmers and more saying that Nigerians should make up their minds to join ADC to build a more prosperous nation.

Nwosu declared that a new leadership led by ADC will prioritize the needs of the people and put an end to mismanagement and neglect of the people

He said “Nothing can stop us, so long as we are determined the way we are now, Baba Obasanjo was the first person to identify our party.

“Baba Obasanjo, who first identified our party as one of the greatest parties in Nigeria. He injected life into the party.

“After the 2019 election, when we had our meeting with Baba, he said one thing that 2019 being our first time, we will gain small success, and that during our second time, in 2023, we will also gain more success. But by 2027 we will take over”.

Nwosu said that the party is working assiduously in line with the former president’s projection to form a government in 2027 that will redefine governance and wipe tears away from the faces of Nigerians

He urged the people of the state to go get their voter cards and join the coalition party to send packing the APC government both the state and national level.

Also speaking at the event the Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bamidele Ajadi also encouraged the leadership of the party to embrace people trooping into the party and work together as one united family to install ADC government in the state and at the national level by the 2027.

In his welcome address, the state chairman of the party, Femi Soluade, stated that the coalition party is the only party that has a good vision for Nigeria, with the determination to transform the country to a place of pride for the black race in the world.

Soluade disclosed that part of the vision for Ogun State providing opportunities for youth, reviving the agriculture sector, infrastructural development and governance that serve the people.

He commended the bold move and readiness to rise against the ruling party and rescue the state from the grip of failed leadership and the country at large.

Soluade said: “For too long, our dear state has been denied the progress it deserves. As we gathered, it is important to reflect on the challenges facing our people.

“Ogun State is blessed with industrious youths, fertile farmlands, and the advantage of being the industrial gateway to Nigeria”

“Yet, many of our young people remain unemployed, our roads are crumbling, our schools are underfunded, our farmers lack support and infrastructure, our schools and hospitals are under pressure, and our roads are in poor condition.

“Despite its potential as the industrial gateway of Nigeria, the state has been held back by selfish and unaccountable leaders”

“These realities remind us here to provide leadership that places the people first and to end the cycle of mismanagement and neglect.

“Today, I declare that enough is enough. The time has come to put an end to bad governance and to return power to the people and this we shall do by God’s grace come 2027.” (The PUNCH)