A member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mukhtar Adnan, has alleged a deliberate plot to weaken opposition political parties in Nigeria, describing the ongoing leadership crisis within the party as an abuse of democracy.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Adnan, a former Kano State House of Assembly aspirant, made the allegation during an interview with journalists.
Adnan said the internal crisis in the ADC started after the party’s National Working Committee was dissolved and a new leadership emerged.
According to him, the leadership transition that produced former Senate President David Mark as chairman and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as secretary followed due process.
He said the development was formally concluded with the public unveiling of the new leadership at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
“After all the handing over, including the unveiling of the ADC leadership, one of those who was part of the dissolved committee who even submitted a resignation letter acknowledged by INEC came out to say he never resigned,” Adnan said.
Adnan explained that the individual subsequently approached the court and obtained an order directing parties to maintain the status quo.
According to him, the development resulted in the removal of the names of David Mark and Aregbesola from the Independent National Electoral Commission portal.
“This is what led to all the confusion we are seeing today,” he said.
The ADC member alleged that the crisis was not ordinary and suggested that political interference was responsible for the situation.
“It is very obvious that the government and the APC are part of this plot to destabilise the ADC. This is an abuse of democracy,” he alleged.
He further claimed that the move was driven by fear of a strong opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“It is clear that the President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is scared of the opposition. They want an election without any strong opposition so they can win easily,” he added.
Despite the controversy, Adnan expressed confidence that the judiciary would safeguard Nigeria’s democracy.
“We are confident that the judiciary will do the right thing. Nigeria is not under military rule. In a democracy, people have the freedom of association and the right to belong to any political party,” he said.
He warned that weakening opposition parties could have long-term consequences for the country.
“There is no democracy anywhere in the world without opposition,” he added.
Adnan also criticised INEC, accusing the commission of interfering in the internal affairs of the party.
He added, “INEC has a very big fault here. The Supreme Court has already ruled that party leadership issues are internal affairs and should be resolved within the party, not imposed from outside.
“Why is INEC interfering? The law is clear. If the law is not followed, then the court will decide, not INEC.”
ADC Gaining Momentum – Adnan
Despite the crisis, Adnan said the situation had increased the visibility of the party across the country.
“At the moment, ADC is gaining momentum and popularity across the states. People at the grassroots are supporting the party,” he said.
He urged the party leadership to remain focused on building a strong platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The ADC should not be discouraged. They should continue organising, come up with a serious manifesto and field credible candidates for the 2027 elections,” he said.
He also criticised some members of the National Assembly, claiming they had failed to adequately defend the interests of the people.
“The unfortunate thing is that many of those in the National Assembly today are not credible enough to defend the interests of the people. Some have sold their conscience for cheap gains,” he said.