₦airaland Forum

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, Bolaji Abdullahi, observed that while Nigerians are ready for the polls, the party’s leaders are still unprepared to face the challenge, largely due to disunity.

Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of his memoir, titled The Loyalist, Abdullahi also urged opposition leaders to come together, cautioning that disunity could weaken their chances of success.

Since July, under the leadership of former Senate President David Mark as National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, the ADC has been working to strengthen its structures nationwide and build trust among Nigerians.

A former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, joined the party in July, followed by a former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, in November, and Peter Obi on December 31, all signalling their intention to seek the party’s presidential ticket. Additional aspirants are expected to declare their candidacies in the coming weeks.

Supporters of the declared presidential aspirants have expressed differing views on zoning, with many of Obi’s backers insisting that the ticket should be zoned to the South, maintaining that the coalition must settle for the former governor or no one at all.

In response, Abdullahi on Saturday urged supporters of the party’s presidential aspirants to avoid a “must-be-my-candidate” mindset, warning that such divisive loyalty could weaken the party’s chances in the 2027 elections.

The ADC National Publicity Secretary emphasised the need for supporters to back all aspirants collectively, stressing that unity is crucial for strengthening the party’s presidential bid.

While delivering his vote of thanks at the book launch, Abdullahi also revealed that many Nigerians who support certain aspirants have been attacking him on social media.

He stated, “For 2027, Nigerians are ready. But I don’t think we are ready. We are not coming together enough. We are not holding hands enough. Nigerians look at us; they see different enclaves and different entities. They see competition rather than cooperation.

“I know I am talking myself into trouble again. I have been under fire in the last three days by some of the passionate supporters on Twitter. But I will keep saying this, because of Nigeria, this country, has no substitute, has no alternative. So I want to use this opportunity, please. Because more than I appreciate all the money you have pledged, I was telling my wife that maybe I should actually be a full-time writer, because it appears to be more lucrative.

“But more than I appreciate all the money, more than the money, I beg you—our leaders, I beg you. Nigerians are waiting. I was in Delta some weeks before the end of last year. The people at the airport who recognised me came to me and said, ‘Please, we know you. You people must not fail.’ And I get that everywhere I have gone. I’m sure you also get it.

“I am making this appeal: please, come together more. Let our followers direct their passion into the ADC. Let them know there is only one party, and our mission is bigger than anything—any individual or individual ambition. This is what I’m begging. So it is my hope that if this is the only thing that this gathering this afternoon is able to achieve, Alhamdulillah."

BSYinnovations:
You guys in ADC need to be united

Mjshexy:
In all thy doings Just ensure Obi has the ticket, Nigeria needs urgent rescue from this emergency ward APC has dumped us

emkz:
ADC ought to know that once Obidients entered, they'd control the narrative. What they ought to have done is ensure everyone signed an undertaking to respect the outcome of the primaries.

My suggestion to ADC is to do their primaries after all parties, probably two days to submitting names to INEC. That way, those who'd decamp after losing in the primaries can no longer do so, or they'd decamp before then.

The Obidients are fanatical about their ignorance that Obi cannot defeat Atiku to secure ADC ticket. The best way to manage them is to declare open primaries to test the popularity.

PigTormentor:
Once they choose Atiku, Zombidients will be the first to start abusing them.

bixton:
Yes, Option A4 is the best for the ADC to check popularity and they should not engage in financial inducement.

sleek214:
Obedients will destroy ADC. Sad thing is, Obi can't control them. He seems to be enjoying the rubbish his supporters are doing

Jonjam269:
A band of rejected, bitter politicians now parading as defenders of democracy, not out of principle but out of desperation to regain power and its spoils. No economic vision, no coherent plan, just hollow buzzwords, crowd-pleasing theatrics, fake statistics, and recycled rhetoric dressed up as policy.
Bound together only by their humiliating defeat, they are headed straight for permanent political irrelevance after 2027

Mrexcell:
Let atiku just respect himself by respecting nigeria's unwritten zoning agreement if he really wants peace to reign in adc.

bixton:
Yes, Option A4 is the best for the ADC to check popularity and they should not engage in financial inducement.

Jaylord12:
Nothing like that.... South should finish their 8years....Anything outside that is a no....