The internal cohesion of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is facing serious strain following the controversial emergence of former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s Interim National Secretary, a move that has drawn strong resistance from key stakeholders within the party.
A faction of the party, led by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Musa Isa Matara, issued a statement on Wednesday vehemently rejecting what it described as an “attempted takeover” of the ADC by Aregbesola and his allies under the guise of a coalition of opposition parties.
While acknowledging the importance of political coalitions and party reforms, Matara and other stakeholders comprising of youth leaders, women groups and several state chapter representatives condemned what they called “a hijack effort masked by flowery, revolutionary rhetoric with elitist undertones.”
“We are not against coalitions or reforms,” the statement read. “However, we strongly oppose any form of imposition or backdoor takeover that undermines the collective will and internal democratic structure of our party.”
Matara stressed that no individual or group has the constitutional or moral authority to speak on behalf of the ADC at the national level unless ratified through a duly convened National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting or National Convention. According to him, the process that led to Aregbesola’s appointment was unilateral and lacked the input of the party’s NEC, state chairpersons, youth leaders, and elected national officers.
The stakeholders also took issue with the claim that the ADC now serves as the platform for a new “National Opposition Coalition Group.” They described the assertion as deceptive, arguing that millions of grassroots members were neither informed nor consulted about such an alignment.
“Any attempt to merge opposition forces without broad-based grassroots engagement violates the principles of internal democracy and undermines the party’s independence,” they warned.
Highlighting unresolved legal battles stemming from the 2023 general elections, the group cautioned that any coalition built on the current fragile legal standing of the ADC would be reckless and unsustainable.
They concluded with a stern warning to new entrants being ushered into the party under the ongoing coalition arrangement: “Those attempting to trade the soul of our party for personal ambition or elite negotiations should be aware, the ADC is not for sale. It is the collective property of its loyal members, not a bargaining chip for political merchants.”
Advertisement
