As countdown to the commencement of 2027 general elections cycle nears with the April 21 deadline for submission of political parties’ membership registers and May 30 deadline for party primaries and resolution of disputes, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused influential figures within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to have President Bola Tinubu as the only contender in the 2027 presidential election.

According to the ADC, the alleged plot aims to pressure the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise Nafiu Bala Gombe, an expelled party member, as the ADC National Chairman. This, the party vowed, would be resisted by all means necessary in defence of democracy.

In a statement in Abuja yesterday, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the plan is a deliberate attempt by elements within the ruling establishment to create confusion within the ADC and weaken what he described as the only viable opposition platform left in the country, just after the crisis of legitimacy has decimated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and weakened the Labour Party (LP).

The ADC maintained that there is no legal basis for any dispute, as its leadership remains firmly under Senator David Mark following a combined meeting of the National Working Committee and National Executive Committee, witnessed by INEC officials, in July 2025.

According to the statement, the attempt to destabilise the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections is allegedly being driven by an APC governor in collaboration with a senior security official based in Abuja, as part of a plot to impose President Tinubu as the sole presidential contender.

The ADC described it as “shocking, though not surprising,” that elements within the ruling establishment are attempting to use Gombe as an instrument to destabilise the party and forcefully take over its leadership.

The statement added that the objective was “to manufacture confusion within the ADC, sponsor illegitimate leadership claims, and ultimately cripple the only credible opposition platform that Nigerians are increasingly looking to as a genuine alternative, leaving Nigerians no choice in the next general election, despite widespread suffering that the ruling party has brought on the people.”

The ADC questioned the desperation driving these anti-democratic forces to impose expelled individuals on the party or manipulate its structures through external political pressure. “Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive where the ruling party seeks to capture, infiltrate, or manufacture opposition parties for its own political convenience and survival.

“Such actions represent a dangerous assault on democratic pluralism and the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely organise and support credible political alternatives.”

Presidency: ADC’s claims baseless

REACTING, the Presidency dismissed allegations by the ADC that the ruling party was plotting to destabilise the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the claims as baseless, insisting that the issues raised by the ADC were purely internal matters for the party to resolve.

Onanuga said the crisis within the ADC had nothing to do with the ruling party or the President. “This is an ADC party matter. Let the party resolve its internal issues and stop its wild accusations against the APC and President Tinubu,” Onanuga said.

He added that the electoral umpire could speak for itself on issues concerning party leadership and recognition. “INEC will speak for itself,” the presidential aide said.

APC scribe: PDP utterly dysfunctional, no longer a political party

BUT while the Presidency was dissociating itself from claims of orchestrating a one-party system in the country by engineering a crisis in opposition parties, National Publicity Secretary of the ruling party, Felix Morka, has attributed the recent wave of defections from the PDP to what he described as the opposition party’s internal crisis and inability to provide a credible political platform.

Morka made the remark during an appearance on The Morning Show, a programme on Arise TV, while reacting to the growing number of defections from the opposition party to the ruling APC. According to him, the PDP can no longer function effectively as a political party due to internal crises and its inability to provide a credible political platform for its members.

He added that defections to the APC should be seen as an endorsement of the ruling party rather than a sign that Nigeria is drifting toward a one-party state.

“When people decamp to the APC, it is an endorsement of the party. It is a statement that the APC can offer what the opposition cannot offer, and that is not our fault,” he said.

Morka also dismissed concerns that Nigeria is becoming a one-party state, describing such claims as misleading. “When people suggest that the country is turning into a one-party state, that is utterly mischievous because it does not take into account the history and realities of a democratic society as we have in Nigeria,” he said.

Nigeria’s political landscape has seen significant realignments since the 2023 elections. The major opposition party, the PDP, once dominant with over a dozen governors, faces persistent factional disputes and leadership tussles that challenge its influence in several strongholds. This instability has accelerated defections, particularly among some political actors seeking alignment with the ruling party.

Since 2025, multiple PDP governors crossed to the APC, citing the opposition party’s dysfunction and the advantages of joining the ruling party. Recent defections include Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal, whose cross-carpeting pushes the APC’s tally of sitting governors to 31 out of 36 states. This has left the PDP with only two governors (in Oyo and Bauchi states), further weakening its national influence.

PDP tackles Morka, describes APC’s claims as delusional

HOWEVER, the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) led by Kabiru Turaki has said Morka was spreading “delusional propaganda”. In a statement, Ini Ememobong, national publicity secretary of the Turaki PDP faction, said Morka’s comment indicates that he is “delusional”.

“Interestingly, reality shows that despite the large-scale defections secured by force and inducement by the APC, Nigerians have consistently rejected the ruling party, which is daily ruining Nigeria and Nigerians,” the statement reads.

“This is evident in the struggle their party has had with membership registration, where in many states, governors have copied the database of state empowerment programmes to populate their state registers. The recent disruption of the City Boys event in Owerri foreshadows what awaits them all over the country.”

According to him, despite the defections, Nigerians have continued to reject the APC, which he accused of worsening the country’s socio-economic situation. Drawing a historical parallel, he cautioned that propaganda had often proved destructive to both nations and those who promote it. The PDP spokesman maintained that the party remained a formidable political platform and would continue to play its role in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Dickson: Nigerians angry, hungry for change

ECHOING PDP’s statement, a former governor of Bayelsa State and Senator representing Bayelsa West, Henry Seriake Dickson, on Monday said many Nigerians are increasingly frustrated with the current state of affairs in the country and are eager for political change ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Dickson stated this in Abuja during the unveiling of the digital membership registration portal of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), describing the platform as a major step toward expanding participation and strengthening the party’s organisational structure nationwide.

The national leader of the party led the unveiling ceremony alongside NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Moses; the National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, as well as some state chairmen and other party leaders and stakeholders.

Commenting on the country’s current political climate, Dickson said many Nigerians were increasingly dissatisfied with the status quo and were seeking credible alternatives.

He said, “Nigerians are angry with the status quo. Nigerians are not only angry, but they are also hungry, and they are hungry for change. The NDC is available as the tool for effecting the change Nigerians want.”

The senator further described the party as a fresh and crisis-free political movement focused on ideological politics and national development. Drawing a biblical analogy, the former Bayelsa governor likened the emergence of the NDC to the story of Noah’s Ark, urging Nigerians seeking genuine political change to align with the new platform.

On the e-membership registration exercise, the lawmaker said the introduction of the digital platform represents a significant move to modernise the party’s operations and encourage wider political participation among Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora. He noted that, although the party is only weeks old, it has already begun attracting significant attention and support nationwide.

According to him, the NDC is structured as a pan-Nigerian democratic movement with experienced political operatives already coordinating activities across states, local government areas and wards.

Obi condemns ADC office attack in C’River

MEANWHILE, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has condemned the violent attack on the ADC in the Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State during the opening of the party’s secretariat at the local government area at the weekend, by political thugs suspected to be loyal to the ruling APC.

Obi, in a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday night titled “The Attack on Democracy in Bakassi,” described the incident that occurred on Saturday as a dangerous assault on Nigeria’s democracy.

It was gathered that the thugs stormed the venue, disrupted the event, violently dispersed party supporters, and destroyed canopies, loudspeakers, chairs, and other equipment arranged for the event. In the footage, a man believed to be leading the group was heard ordering the attackers to scatter and destroy everything as they (ADC) were nowhere to be found when they (APC) were busy fixing the council area.

In his reaction, Obi said the attack and destruction of the ADC office by the political thugs highlight the declining standards of democratic practice in Nigeria and reflect the dangers posed when individuals with questionable credentials occupy positions of power.

“What occurred at the ADC office in Bakassi, Cross River State, is not merely an attack on a political party; it is an attack on democracy itself,” Obi said.

“When thugs can storm a party office and destroy property without facing arrest, it reflects how dangerously low our democratic standards have fallen.”

The former Anambra State governor also linked the incident to what he described as a broader decline in leadership standards across the country. He warned that the normalisation of forged credentials among political leaders could further fuel violence in the political space.

“In the current state of Nigeria, what can we expect when leadership standards have plummeted to the extent that qualification, certification, and credibility are no longer deemed necessary for public office?” he asked.

“The ability for individuals to present forged certificates for election sends a troubling message to our society. If we continue down this path, violence may become the future of our democracy.”

Obi further warned that allowing fraud and violence to shape political leadership would have grave consequences for the country’s future. “We must recognise that fraud and violence cannot create true leadership; they will only result in chaos. This chaos will ultimately affect our children and us,” he added.

The attack on the ADC office in Bakassi has raised concerns among political observers and civil society groups about growing political violence and the safety of opposition parties in Nigeria, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections. (Guardian)