Coalition: ADC Appoints Rauf Aregbesola as Interim National Secretary

• Party Executive Kick
• We will not allow the party to be hijacked, stakeholders insist

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has appointed former Gov. Rauf Aregbesola as the Interim National Secretary of the party. In his acceptance speech, Aregbesola expressed deep humility and a sense of duty, thanking the leadership for the trust reposed in him.

ADC is the alternative party chosen by the coalition of opposition politicians and parties in Nigeria ahead of the 2027 Presidential election.

In the statement published on the X handle of former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, Aregbesola emphasized that a political party is not a platform for opportunism but a living institution built on values, guided by ideals, and accountable to the people it serves. He cited the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa as a model of a party grounded in ideology, principle, and people-centered struggle.

The new National Secretary lamented the state of Nigeria’s political landscape, where many parties lack ideological depth and prioritize power and personality over the people’s interests. He vowed to build a party with a clear ideological compass, committed to democratic values, rule of law, social justice, accountability, transparency, and national development.

Aregbesola outlined his vision for the party, which includes practicing internal democracy, ensuring transparent and fair intra-party competition, and giving a real voice to young people, women, and the marginalized. He also emphasized the need for the party to model international best practices in organization, administration, and ethics.

The ADC leader called on party members to support him in his new role, holding him accountable and standing with him as they work to rebuild the party and restore its soul. “Let us return politics to its rightful place as a service to the people,” he said, expressing hope that their work would be worthy of the hopes the people place in them 

However, a section of stakeholders in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has vehemently opposed the emergence of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as Interim National Secretary of the party. Led by the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Musa Isa Matara, the group rejected what they termed as the “attempted takeover” of the party by Aregbesola in a statement issued on Wednesday.

The stakeholders, which include women and youth groups of the party, expressed their opposition to the perceived imposition and elitist intentions behind Aregbesola’s appointment. “We are not opposed to coalitions. We are not opposed to reform. But we are opposed to hijack, to imposition, and to speeches that sound revolutionary but hide elitist intentions beneath poetic language,” the statement read.

Matara emphasized that until a legitimate, constitutionally-backed ADC National Convention or National Executive Committee (NEC) confirms leadership changes, no one has the moral or legal right to speak for the party nationally. This development suggests a potential internal crisis within the party, with different factions vying for control and legitimacy.