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Tensions are escalating within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as top party stakeholders raise alarm over the appointment of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Interim National Secretary, describing it as undemocratic and a threat to the party’s independence.
Speaking on behalf of the discontented group, National Publicity Secretary Dr. Musa Isa Matara issued a public statement on Wednesday, rejecting what he described as an effort to forcibly impose Aregbesola and hijack the party under the guise of a broader opposition alliance.
“We are not opposed to coalitions. We are not opposed to reform,” the group clarified.
“But we are opposed to hijack, to imposition, and to speeches that sound revolutionary but hide elitist intentions beneath poetic language.”
According to Matara, no legitimate party process, such as a NEC meeting or national convention, was followed in confirming Aregbesola’s leadership role.
He argued that without such formal validation, any claimed authority is both illegal and illegitimate.
The group criticised the narrative that the ADC has become the platform for the National Opposition Coalition Group, calling it “false and misleading.”
They say millions of party members remain unaware and uninvolved in what they described as a one-sided political merger attempt.
“If anyone is attempting to force an opposition merger without grassroots consent, they are trampling on democratic ethics and party sovereignty,” the statement warned.
They also highlighted the unresolved legal disputes lingering since the 2023 general elections as a major red flag.
“Let it be known to those who are trooping into our party under this chaotic coalition arrangement that the ADC has been battling unresolved legal crises,” they noted.
In a final caution to those entering the party via the coalition effort, the stakeholders declared:
“We warn those coming into the ADC as part of this imposed arrangement to tread carefully… The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers.”