The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AREGBESOLA

  • Hussein faults ADC leadership, berates Aregbesola over ‘undemocratic’ comments 

    Hussein faults ADC leadership, berates Aregbesola over ‘undemocratic’ comments 

    A former senator who represented Osun West at the Senate, Mudashiru Hussein, has criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the party as lacking cohesive leadership, a clear structure, a defined ideology, and a long-term political organisation.

    Hussein also berated the ADC’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, over his recent assertion that the defection of governors would not influence President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election prospects or the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s chances in the 2027 general elections.

    Aregbesola had earlier referenced the APC’s performance in Lagos State during the 2023 elections, projecting a similar outcome nationwide in 2027.

    Reacting in a statement, Hussein, a former ally of Aregbesola in Lagos and Osun states, described the former governor’s remarks as an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.

    He said, “The claim by the ADC National scribe is selective in interpretation and detached from the historical and practical realities of Nigeria’s political evolution. The sanctity of the people’s vote remains non-negotiable; it is intellectually dishonest to strip elections of the roles played by leadership, structure, ideology, and long-term political organisation, which ADC lacks.

    “Democracy thrives on the will of the people, but that will is shaped, mobilised, and protected by credible political leadership. To suggest otherwise is to oversimplify a complex democratic process.”

    Read Also: ADC tasks Oyegun, Utomi, Lukman with policy, manifesto

    He noted that the progressive movement was never built on spontaneous popularity but on years of grassroots engagement, policy-driven governance, and disciplined party organisation.

    “These elements were central to electoral successes recorded across different levels of government over the years. National elections are decided by aggregate national confidence, not by fragmented local outcomes. Leadership at the centre is earned through vision, experience, and the ability to build broad coalitions across the country, like our mentor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had led the tendency which produced us.”

    Husain further argued that governors and political leaders do not merely control votes, but play strategic roles in stabilising party systems, mobilising citizens, and sustaining democratic institutions, which are roles that cannot be dismissed without undermining the very system that produced past electoral victories.

    The erstwhile NPC federal commissioner concluded by urging political leaders and commentators to avoid revisionist narratives and instead focus on deepening democratic culture through constructive engagement, institutional respect, and commitment to the collective political journey that has shaped modern governance in Nigeria.

  • ADC regroups, seeks united front as Aregbesola downplays defection momentum

    ADC regroups, seeks united front as Aregbesola downplays defection momentum

    Leaders and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have renewed calls for unity and collective action ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that internal divisions within the opposition are weakening the effort to present a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The appeal was made in Abuja on Tuesday during the public presentation of The Loyalist, a book authored by the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi.

    The event drew a cross-section of political heavyweights and became a rallying point for opposition figures seeking to reposition the ADC as a unifying platform.

    Among those in attendance were former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President David Mark, former governors Rauf Aregbesola, Rotimi Amaechi, Kayode Fayemi, Peter Obi, Lyel Imoke, and Abdulfatah Ahmed, as well as former Speaker of the House of Representatives and his deputy, Aminu Tambuwal and Emeka Ihedioha.

    Also present were former APC National Chairman John Oyegun, former NBA President Tayo Akpata, and other political leaders.

    Speaking after the formal presentation, Abdullahi warned that while Nigerians were ready for change, the political class had not yet demonstrated the unity required to deliver it.

    “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.”

    He said the visible divisions among opposition actors were eroding public confidence and weakening the prospects of collective success. Abdullahi admitted his blunt comments had drawn backlash online but insisted he would not be silenced.

    “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 Nigeria, this country, has no substitute, has no alternative.”

    Describing Nigeria as irreplaceable, he urged political leaders to rise above factional rivalries and focus on national renewal, citing personal encounters with ordinary citizens as evidence of growing public expectations.

    “I beg you, our leaders, Nigerians are waiting, they know you, what they are saying is ‘You people must not fail.’ That’s what I get everywhere I have gone. I’m sure you also get it.”

    According to him, such encounters reflect the hope many Nigerians have invested in emerging coalitions and the ADC platform, appealing to party members to direct their energy toward unity rather than internal rivalry.

    “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.”

    Understanding the need for cohesion within the party, he stressed the significance of the book launch to the large gathering of members, noting that even if the event achieved nothing beyond fostering unity, it would still be worthwhile.

    “So it is my hope that if this is the only thing that this gathering this afternoon is able to achieve, Alhamdulillah.”

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the Special Guest of Honour, said the book challenges Nigerians to rethink loyalty in public life.

    Noting that loyalty in politics differs from the rigid obedience demanded in military service, he said, “I want to commend the author for gifting us a work that dares to question loyalties, illuminate conscience, and broaden our public imagination.

    “So I ask, why does this book matter to all of us? The Loyalist invites us to examine loyalty, to country, community, institutions, and to our own moral compass vis-à-vis personal loyalty, especially in a time of rapid change and competing narratives.”

    Atiku disclosed that loyalty had come at great personal cost, stressing, “Many of us here, particularly Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, and myself have suffered because of loyalty. I have personally faced exile as a result of loyalty. I have survived assassination attempts as a result of loyalty.”

    He warned that loyalty must never become a tool of exclusion: “Loyalty should strengthen the common goal, not narrow the circle of belonging, he noted.”

    ADC Secretary and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola dismissed claims that defections to the APC signalled its growing dominance.

    “Something is going on that is worrisome… The fact that certain governors are defecting to the APC shows that our unity is weakened. I laugh because recent statistics in Nigeria, based on the last election, do not support this belief.”

    Arguing that governors do not determine electoral outcomes, he said, “The results of these two zones clearly show that governors do not win elections, the people do. What we require from the government in charge of the election is a commitment to a free and fair process.”

    ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark, described the mission to rescue Nigeria as collective and praised Abdullahi’s patriotism.

    Read Also: Accord, APC, ADC ready for battle

    “Mission to rescue Nigeria is collective. Bolaji is a straightforward person; he is a committed Nigerian, very patriotic,” he said, while also clearing misconceptions surrounding the Doctrine of Necessity that enabled Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to assume office as Acting President after the crisis that followed the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

    According to him, the decision was taken solely by the Senate under his leadership and had no connection whatsoever to any interests or influence from Kwara State.

    “The doctrine of necessity is the sole responsibility of the Senate and has nothing to do with Kwara State or anyone from Kwara State,” he affirmed.

    Former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, said the book exposes the hidden realities and compromises of politics and urged leaders to abandon what he called “pleasant fiction” about power and values.

    Fayemi stressed that the book should not be read merely as an exposé of Abdullahi’s relationship with former Senate President Bukola Saraki, but as a broader reflection on power, mentorship, loyalty, and ambition.

    He said the work offers hope for a better Nigeria, noting that “Abdullahi’s political vision reflects a belief that ‘another Nigeria is possible.

    “For anyone interested in Nigeria, its politics, and the myths around godfatherism and power, this book recommends itself”.

    Reviewer of the book, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, described it as a rare and compelling account of power, loyalty, and courage in Nigeria’s political life, urging Nigerians to reflect deeply on its lessons.

  • Can Aregbesola-backed ADC break Osun’s two-horse race?

    Can Aregbesola-backed ADC break Osun’s two-horse race?

    Osun State moves closer to a key off-season election next August, where the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is likely to face its toughest challenge so far. The party, energised by ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s return to local politics, is aiming for a real shot at impact this time around. Internal wranglings ahead of its primary make things tougher. However, Aregbesola’s strong support base, changing political loyalties, and questions about Governor Adeleke’s platform leave room for surprise. Can the ADC alter Osun’s usual two-horse race? By RAYMOND MORDI, Deputy Political Editor

    As Rauf Aregbesola entered the crowded hall in Osogbo for the launch of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the new opposition coalition platform, he received a rousing round of applause even before he reached the front. To his supporters, it seemed like a return after years away from Osun politics. His critics equally saw it as proof that his influence has not faded in Osun politics. Meanwhile, the ADC, a fringe party in Nigeria’s political arena until now, faces something new: showing it can compete in a high-stakes election within one of the nation’s toughest regions.

    Osun heads back to a decisive off-cycle governorship election next August, and this is already reshaping political alliances. With Aregbesola’s position as national secretary and his determination to give the ADC a foothold in Osun, the party sees an opportunity to present itself as a viable alternative to both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and whichever platform Governor Ademola Adeleke ultimately chooses. The significance stretches beyond Osun; if ADC performs well, it might alter power dynamics across the Southwest ahead of the 2027 general election. However, a weak performance could push the party back into obscurity.

    Right now, the focus is on the ADC primary scheduled to be held on Wednesday, December 10; a contest increasingly viewed as less about the aspirants and more about the weight of Aregbesola’s political machinery. 

    Aregbe, the centre of attraction:

    Aregbesola’s road back into Osun politics has been long and torturous. After serving two terms as governor and a minister at the federal level, his bitter disagreement with former Governor Gboyega Oyetola, once seen as his political heir, has undermined the APC’s internal cohesion. Plenty of insiders blame Aregbesola’s behind-the-scenes backing of Adeleke for Oyetola’s narrow defeat in the last election.

    “The governor won by a small margin. Without Aregbesola’s silent network, it would have been tighter,” says an APC chieftain in Osun Central. “He knows the grassroots and they know him.”

    Now that his role is official under the ADC, many see the next year’s election as a test of his power and political influence in the state. His influence was strengthened recently when the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Oyetunji Olanipekun, Laroye II, publicly declared support for him and the ADC during a palace visit following the party’s constituency tour. “Wherever he goes, we shall follow,” the monarch said. “We’re behind him no matter where he moves,” the traditional ruler stated.

    The endorsement reverberated across Osun. Osogbo, with its two metropolitan local government areas, is often pivotal in determining Osun’s governorship outcomes. Several community groups, especially youth and women’s associations, have since quietly echoed the stance, describing the ADC as a rare alternative to what they consider a cycle of exhausted political options.

    Aspirants for the ADC ticket:

    The ADC primary may not have dominated national headlines, but folks in Osun are watching closely, mainly because the aspirants reflect the party’s attempt to balance loyalty to Aregbesola with broader statewide appeal.

    A source inside Osun ADC says there are many aspirants and that it includes a past commissioner from Osun East with deep grassroots ties; a retired technocrat without political baggage; a charismatic, well-funded diaspora aspirant; and a female contender backed by strong networks of women’s cooperatives.

    Nevertheless, only three aspirants are considered as frontline contenders. Dr Najeem Salaam, former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, is widely believed to be the preferred choice. Multiple sources say he emerged “winner” of an informal attempt to pick a consensus candidate during a meeting of the party’s inner circle in Lagos, securing 11 votes to his rivals’ 3 and 1.

    Also in the race are Senator Adelere Adeyemi Oriolowo and Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, former Secretary to the State Government under Aregbesola. Adeoti was once considered the favourite until frustration over the consensus process led him to quit the ADC’s influential Omoluabi Progressives caucus. His resignation letter cited “family pressure” and a desire to step back from politics, but insiders attribute it to dissatisfaction with the internal decision-making.

    A senior party figure, speaking anonymously, offers a blunt explanation: “Salaam was the compromise. He is acceptable to most because he is considered the least disruptive. But nothing is final until the primary.”

    Despite the informal consensus, the party’s public communication remains deliberately vague. An official statement last week insisted that no candidate has been chosen and that Wednesday’s primary will determine the flag bearer. The guarded tone suggests the ADC is carefully navigating internal tensions as it approaches a decisive moment.

    The ADC’s baggage:

    The biggest challenge for the ADC is not the primary; it is persuading Osun voters that the party is prepared to govern.

    Its performance in the recent Anambra governorship election was dismal, though few in Osun view that as a serious liability. “Anambra was too early. They were not prepared,” says a journalist in the Southeast, describing the party’s poor showing as “the price of late entry.”

    Read Also: Wanted: legislative action on state/council joint account provision

    Even so, the ADC faces obstacles that could derail its momentum:

     Fragmented local structures

    Rapid expansion has left several wards with overlapping leadership claims. These disputes could suppress turnout at the primary and weaken mobilisation during the general campaign.

     Internal dissent

    Adeoti’s abrupt departure, despite being a founding pillar of Aregbesola’s Osun caucus, signals deeper frustrations. Losing a high-profile loyalist so close to the primary exposes the party’s fragile cohesion.

     Limited financing

    Compared to the APC and the platform Adeleke eventually chooses, the ADC’s war chest is modest. Leaders hope Aregbesola’s stature will attract new donors, but the funding gap remains significant.

     Inexperience with large-scale campaign operations

    Though the ADC has contested elections before, it has never run a major Southwest governorship effort. “A serious campaign requires discipline, messaging, data, and logistics,” says an independent consultant in Lagos. “They’re learning on the move.”

     Perception issues

    Some voters still see the ADC as a refuge for displaced politicians. A party insider concedes the point: “Yes, people join for different reasons — sometimes because they felt cheated elsewhere. That’s how parties grow. What matters is what we build now.”

    Other big players in the game:

    Over the years, the Osun political scene has been dominated by the APC and the PDP. Breaking that pattern will not be easy.

    The APC remains the most organised machine in the state, though internal wounds from the Oyetola–Aregbesola disagreement have not fully healed. Oyetola’s influence persists, and the party controls crucial local government structures. Yet with Aregbesola stepping back into the spotlight as a challenger, the situation has become more complicated. “The APC cannot ignore him,” says a senior member from Ife. “He knows where all the bones are buried.”

    A strong and widely-accepted APC candidate would make the party competitive. Nevertheless, this race appears more open for the party than the last one in 2022.

    Adeleke’s next political home is the election’s biggest question mark. His resignation from the platform that carried him to power has scrambled the coalition that once unified the anti-APC vote. Advisers say he is weighing his options, but the delay is unsettling supporters.

    “Adeleke’s grassroots energy is intact, but the platform is uncertain,” says a political scientist at Obafemi Awolowo University. “That creates an opening for the ADC.”

    If he joins a smaller party, the anti-APC vote could splinter. If he joins a larger one, he must rebuild alliances from scratch. Either path shapes the ADC’s chances.

    Can an Aregbe-backed ADC win?

    That  remains the big and unanswered question at the heart of the whole election drama. The ADC’s chances hinge on four factors:

    1. Aregbesola’s ground game

    He still commands loyalty across artisans, traders, youth groups, and religious circles. Many communities remember his social intervention programmes and his personal visibility in public spaces.

    “The thing with Aregbesola is people follow him, not the party,” says a former ward chairman in Ijesa North. “If he tells them the future is in the ADC, most will listen.”

    However, opponents are likely to revisit the controversies of his second term. Whether goodwill can transfer cleanly to a new platform is uncertain.

    2. Candidate acceptance

    Osun voters value personality as much as political machinery. A strong candidate could turn the race into a competitive three-way contest. A weak one could relegate the ADC to the margins and leave the field to the APC and Adeleke’s new platform.

    3. Unity of the anti-APC vote

    Adeleke’s win last time depended on a consolidated anti-APC bloc. If that coalition fractures, the ADC could attract frustrated supporters, especially younger voters searching for a fresh alternative.

    If Adeleke lands on a strong platform and reunifies his base, the ADC could be squeezed out.

    4. ADC’s internal discipline

    This remains the party’s Achilles heel. Any post-primary rupture, especially among influential blocs, could erode the momentum Aregbesola has built. Party elders say he recognises the danger.

    “He is hands-on. He is calling meetings. He knows division could kill us,” says an ADC youth leader in Osun West.

    A battle for survival, and relevance:

    A Lagos-based political strategist who has worked on multiple Southwest campaigns describes the ADC as “the disruptive force to watch.” Even if the party doesn’t win, he argues, it could reshape loyalties in ways that reverberate into 2027. “If the ADC performs well, it becomes a real player.”

    A senior journalist with a deep understanding of Osun politics strikes a similar note. “It is not a walkover. The ADC is new but not weak. The energy around Aregbesola is real.”

    But a political historian at the University of Ibadan offers a more restrained view: “Third forces often begin with promise but struggle to sustain momentum. The ADC must break that cycle. Osun voters respond to consistency.”

    Conclusion:

    The ADC enters the Osun race with a mix of hope, ambition, and strategic uncertainty. The party senses an opportunity created by lingering APC fatigue and Adeleke’s unsettled platform. Aregbesola brings visibility, structure, and grassroots reach, but not a guaranteed victory.

    As the primary approaches on Wednesday, one truth stands out: this election is about more than who governs Osun. It is a test of whether a party once dismissed as an afterthought can seize space in a political arena dominated by two giants, and whether a former governor still possesses enough influence to alter the political future of his home state.

    For now, the ADC stands at the edge of possibility, preparing for a contest that may redefine Osun’s political identity in the months ahead.

  • Osun ex-SSG Adeoti dumps Aregbesola’s Omoluabi group

    Osun ex-SSG Adeoti dumps Aregbesola’s Omoluabi group

    Former Secretary to Osun State Government (SSG), Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, has parted ways with the ‘Omoluabi Progressives’, led by former Interior Minister and National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC),   Chief Rauf Aregbesola.

    The politician, from Iwo, Osun West Senatorial District, left the camp, following its decision to field former House of Assembly Speaker, Dr Najeem Salam, as the consensus ADC governorship candidate.

    Adeoti is the deputy leader of the group.

    Adeoti, who was the African Democratic Party (ADP) candidate in 2018, was among the aspirants jostling for the ADC ticket.

    The former SSG, in a letter dated Novermber 30, 2025, said although his decision to leave the group was not easy, it was necessary.

    He said he took the decision after consulting with family members, who advised him to stay away from politics for now.

    The letter reads: ‘‘I, Alhaji Moshood Olalekan Adeoti, the Deputy Leader of Omoluabi Progressives in Osun State, hereby tender this letter of withdrawal from the group, which I co-founded with other progressive-minded individuals across the state.

    “This also includes my complete withdrawal from all the group activities henceforth. My decision to withdraw was never an easy one.’’

    The Nation recalls that the group had implored ADC to cede its 2026 Osun governorship ticket to the West District where Moshood and Salam hail from.

    Read Also: 8 strategic guides to surviving expensive times in Nigeria without losing your mind

    However, at the weekend, it was learnt that a plan was concluded for Salam (Osun ex-speaker) to be the consensus governorship candidate of ADC, hence Adeoti and Senator Oriolowo, who are from Iwo town, planned to dump Osun ex-governor Aregbesola and his political struggle.

    Following the development, Adeoti dumped Aregbesola, ADC and his political group, saying the decision was not easy.

    “This also includes my complete withdrawal from all the group activities henceforth. My decision to withdraw was never an easy one, especially each time I looked back and considered all my investments into ensuring the survival of the group throughout its turbulent period from its inception to date.”

    He said he was pressured by his family members on the need to take an immediate short rest from political activities.

    “I want to specially thank my fellow progressives for the level of trust reposed in me while in the group. I wish the current leadership success in the group’s future endeavours.”

    When The Nation contacted him, Adeoti only confirmed the letter and refused to make further comments about his action.

  • Aregbesola’s caucus seeks Osun ADC governorship ticket

    Aregbesola’s caucus seeks Osun ADC governorship ticket

    The caucus of the National Secretary of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Rauf Aregbesola, has demanded that the 2026 governorship ticket of the party be zoned to Osun West Senatorial District.

    A statement by the caucus named Omoluabi Progressives, through its Publicity and Organising Secretary, Abosede Oluwaseun, said the caucus resolved that ADC should zone the governorship ticket to Osun West Senatorial District at a meeting in Ilesa, attended by supporters of the caucus from 332 electoral wards.

    READ ALSO: No religious persecution in Nigeria, Tuggar insists

    She said: “The meeting featured the formal welcoming of new members from political divides, including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Some former members of the defunct, The Osun Progressives (TOP) also officially returned to their political root.’’

    She said meeting was attended by the Chairman of ADC Membership Mobilisation, Revalidation and Registration Committee, Kamil Mudashir, who visited Aregbesola.

    Abosede said: “In his address, Ogbeni hailed members for their dedication to building the movement and announced that the apex body of Omoluabi Progressives had resolved to present a formidable aspirant from Osun West Senatorial District for the December 12 ADC primaries, to demonstrate unity and strength.”

  • Aregbesola on God’s grace

    Aregbesola on God’s grace

    Still fully immersed in an ethical stench of his own making, and sometimes speaking as if the concept of God is alien to him, former Osun State governor and one-time Interior minister, Rauf Aregbesola, has now begun to speak knowingly and affectionately of God. In an interaction with reporters in Ilorin two Saturdays ago after commissioning the secretariat of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), his new party, he denounced the ruling party but conversely anchored the strength of his new party on God’s munificence. Hear him: “If APC is confident of its strength, it won’t be so hyped and charged as to be hounding and hunting the opposition all over the place. How can we interpret what APC is doing all over Nigeria to us? They are harassing and intimidating every one of our members, not just our leaders, but nationwide, be it in Lagos, Kebbi, or Kaduna. If indeed they are confident of the strength they are showcasing, one would expect that they will be so calm; but the reverse is the case; so what does that tell you? They themselves know that they are not popular and the party that will harvest their unpopularity is ADC. Regardless of the grandstanding, by the grace of God, ADC will take over the mantle of leadership in Nigeria and in most of the states.”

    Read Also: Police arrest IBBU student over alleged cybercrimes against Bago

    What is missing in his statement is not his misplaced confidence in a supposed ADC victory in the coming polls, but his unusual and unexpected foray into the domain of God. He speaks about God’s grace as the ultimate factor responsible for victory or defeat. That grace, he also presumes, is available to sinners and the dispossessed. But for a man so self-righteous, so implacable, and so adamantly discourteous, surely he should need some penance to attract that grace. Yes, grace is readily available, even to an embittered party and its malignant leaders; but how can they receive grace when they have continued to spurn it?

  • ADC: Judge orders individual service of court documents on Mark, Aregbesola, Nwosu

    ADC: Judge orders individual service of court documents on Mark, Aregbesola, Nwosu

    Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the plaintiff in a suit querying the legitimacy of the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to ensure that the second, third, and fifth defendants are served individually with court documents.

    The defendants are: Mark (Interim National Chairman), Rauf Aregbesola (Interim National Secretary), and Ralph Nwosu (former National Chairman).

    Justice Nwite issued the order during yesterday’s proceedings upon realising that the plaintiff – a former Deputy National Chairman of ADC, Nafiu-Bala Gombe – had not effected proper service on the defendants, as legally required.

    In the suit, Mark, Aregbesola, and  Nwosu are listed as the second, third, and fifth defendants. ADC is listed as the first, while the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is the fourth defendant.

    READ ALSO: Five fun ways to spark children’s love for reading

    When the case was called, the plaintiff’s lawyer, Michael Agber, told the court that the business of the day was for lawyers to the defendants to show cause why the court should not grant the plaintiff’s motion seeking to restrain Mark and others from assuming ADC’s leadership.

    The judge averred that Mark, Aregbesola, and Nwosu were not represented in court, a development that prompted him to ask Agber whether they were served with the documents in the case, as required.

    In response, Agber said he served the three through the office of the ADC because they were operating there.

    Justice Nwite faulted that mode of service, stating that since they were sued individually, they ought to be so served, except if the plaintiff had first obtained an order of court for substituted service.

    Lawyer to ADC, Shaibu Aruwa (SAN), admitted that his client was properly served.

    Aruwa said ADC had responded to the court’s earlier order directing it to show cause by filing an affidavit detailing why the restraining orders sought by the plaintiff should not be granted.

    The lawyer said his client had also filed a notice of preliminary objection, challenging the competence of the suit and the court’s jurisdiction to hear it, but had yet to respond to the substantive suit because it was still within time.

    INEC’s lawyer, Kingsley Magbuin, admitted being served with some of the documents filed, with the exclusion of one, which Agber later handed to him in open court on the instruction of the judge.

    Magbuin said his client had also filed an affidavit to show cause, but had yet to respond to the substantive suit because it is still within time.

    Justice Nwite adjourned till September 30 for the hearing.

  • ADC: Court to hear suit against Mark, Aregbesola, others Monday

    ADC: Court to hear suit against Mark, Aregbesola, others Monday

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed a hearing for Monday in a suit challenging, among others, the legitimacy of the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Justice Emeka Nwite chose the date in a ruling on September 4 in which he refused to grant an ex parte motion filed by Nafiu-Bala Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of ADC, and moved by his lawyer, Michael Agber.

    Justice Nwite ordered Gombe to serve the motion on the respondents – Mark and others – to enable show cause why the motion should not be granted.

    The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 has the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu as defendants.

    Read Also: Aregbesola and the journey of Brother Tortoise

    In the motion filed on September 2, Gombe is seeking three principal reliefs.

    He wanted an order of interim injunction restraining the 4th defendant (INEC) from recognising the 2nd (Mark) and 3rd (Aregbesola) defendants as the national chairman and national secretary of the first defendant (ADC) pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

    Gombe is also seeking an order of interim injunction restraining the 2nd and 3rd defendants and their cohorts from parading themselves as National Chairman and National Secretary of the 1st defendant, pending hearing in the motion on notice already filed and served in this matter.

    He equally wanted an order restraining the 4th defendant/ respondent from recognising and or dealing with the 2nd and 3rd defendants.

  • Aregbesola and the journey of Brother Tortoise

    Aregbesola and the journey of Brother Tortoise

    By Gboyega Amoboye

    In Yoruba mythology, tortoise is an animal credited with immense wisdom but considered dishonorable.

    Viewers might remember the Oloja of Oja, Oba Adenle in the vintage but now rested Village Headmaster in one of their episodes, dancing to  a solo, in mockery  of a chief thus: “Brother tortoise when will you return from this your journey?”  Tortoise replied;”Not until I have been disgraced”.      

    There is a Yoruba folklore ‘Eebu alo ni ti ahun (tortoise), ti abo ni ti ano re’ that seems to agree with the solo by ‘Kabiyesi, as Oloja was fondly addressed by his subjects.  While still searching for an appropriate translation it goes thus: Mr tortoise went to steal yams from his father in-law’s farm and was caught red handed. To humiliate him, his in-law tied him to a stake along a busy market road.   In the morning, he was mocked by market women on their way to the market for his shameful act. But on their way back in the evening, the same market women still met tortoise at the stake. In annoyance, they turned their abuse on his inlaw. ‘Do you want to kill him? After all, he’s your in-law! One could find a correlation in Rauf Aregbesola’s rebellion against his mentor President Bola Tinubu in this shameful story of brother tortoise.

    Aregbesola a former protege of President Bola Tinubu was former governor of Osun State. That Aregbesola was made politically by the President is said to be incontrovertible. That he was made governor by his mentor is also incontrovertible. According to political observers  Aregbesola use to be  lord of the  largest local government in the country, Alimoso and also by the courtesy of Bola Tinubu.

    That Aregbesola could rebel against his mentor and even now leading a gang of politicians to stop him in 2027 is considered a puzzle carried too far.

    READ ALSO: North frantic about 2027

     But what could have led to a case of Chinua Achebe’s ‘Falcon not hearing the Falconer?’. A well informed Yoruba leader told me recently that Aregbesola’,’ grievance was that he had been marginalised in Osun and Lagos State by the President. But to political observers this was the same Aregbesola who was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs by the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari apparently on the recommendation of President Bola Tinubu.

    Unless if he were one of the ‘born to rules’ said a critic, one should be surprised that he could not stay out of power for a while to allow for fairness to others.  It has equally been argued that there was no way he could have been left in the cold by the President if his loyalty had not been in doubt.  My informant spoke of attempts being made to  reconcile him with the President except that his’Omoye has already danced naked in the market Square’  But Marrie Correli in her novel Ziska said ‘,”even with a late repentance love pardons all.”. Will this be true of Aregbesola? “Time will tell”, says Jimmy Cliff.

    Yoruba drummers are equivocators. One watched Aregbesola recently on the social media dancing to a rebellious gangan drumming, ‘praising him for daring his mentor. While dancing in reckless abandon to the consternation of viewers his apparently remorseful wife, Sherifat, called him to order.

    Paradoxically, this group of gangan drummers are never loyal to anyone. It would not be strange tomorrow for them to turn  the gangan against Aregbesola  in eulogy  of President Bola Tinubu if he wins the 2027 Presidential election thus; ‘Ta nibata ko subu. Aregbesola,  ta nibata ko subu. Aregbesola, Oko Sherifa, ta nibata ko subu. Ojo esin nku si dede, alakori, ta nibata ko subu ‘ ( Kick Aregbesola with your shoe and let him fall down in disgrace).

    • Amoboye, a veteran journalist, is a media consultant.

  • 2027: How far can ADC, Aregbesola go?

    2027: How far can ADC, Aregbesola go?

    As alignment and realignment of politicians across political parties are ongoing ahead of the 2027 general elections, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has saddled Alhaji Rauf Aregbesola with the responsibility to enhance the chances of his new political family, particularly in the Southwest.  But time will tell how far the former Osun State Governor can go with the task, Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO writes.

    The race towards the 2027 general elections has begun in earnest. All major political parties that participated in the 2023 presidential election are firming up to present formidable fronts. Yet, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which is currently undertaking voters’ registration, has several applications for new political parties pending before it.

    In 2023, according to INEC, 18 political parties contested the presidential election, but three recorded the most followership – the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP).

    President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC and the ruling party won the fiercely contested election. Former Vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the PDP, came second, and former governor of Anambra State and LP’s candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, came third.

    While the ruling party is working to retain the seat of power with the incumbent as its candidate, crises in both the PDP and LP have worsened, foreclosing their chances of presenting a united front come 2027.

    The PDP has however, promised to stage a comeback, having now zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the South. Notwithstanding, the internal wrangling over that decision is already raging as some of its chieftains have rejected the zoning arrangement.

    The ‘new’ ADC

    The imbroglio within the PDP and LP’s folds has become a floodgate for many politicians notably from the opposition camps and a few other gladiators from the ruling party to find habitat in a new coalition that has now adopted ADC as its political base.

    ADC is not new to Nigeria’s political scene, having been registered in 2006, the party has gone through several rebranding phases, presenting itself as a platform for progressive politics and youth engagement.

     The political gladiators, after months of speculations, behind-the-scenes meetings and shifting of political alliances, eventually reached the decision, amidst pomp and ceremony, clicking of glasses and hysterical handshakes, to ride to power, come 2027 on the crest of their adopted party, ADC.

    The opposition figures, led by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, included a former Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State and former Justice Minister, Abubakar Malami.

     The coalition’s roll call extended to other notable political heavyweights such as: ex-Governors Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Liyel Imoke (Cross River), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Emeka Ihedioha (Imo), Celestine Omehia (Rivers) and former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun.

     A former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, a former SGF, Babachir Lawal, Sen. Aishatu Binani, media entrepreneur, Dele Momodu, Sen. Dino Melaye, Prof. Olusola Eleka and Sen. Ishaku Abbo, among others, were also part of the coalition. The ADC’s coalition project, now dubbed Rescue Nigeria 2027. 

     Until recently, ADC had been in relative obscurity. But, since the take-off by the coalition leaders, with a former Senate President, David Mark and former Osun Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, emerging as the Interim National Chairman and Interim National Secretary respectively, the party has been gaining some traction.

     A former Minister of Youth and Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, who was also appointed as the coalition’s Spokesperson, had since swung into action, holding news conferences and issuing press statements on various national issues on behalf of the party.

     To underscore their seriousness with their new move, some of the coalition leaders, particularly Atiku, Mark, Aregbesola, Malami and Amaechi, have since announced their resignation from their former political parties.

    READ ALSO: Nigeria’s season of harvest: Tinubu’s second term and promise of economic transformation

     The party, while its best performances were in the Southeast and parts of the North-Central, has some history in the Southwest.

     In 2018, ADC gained prominence when former President Olusegun Obasanjo, through his now-defunct Coalition for Nigeria Movement (CNM), endorsed it as a vehicle for change. That momentum faded before the 2019 polls, but it gave the ADC visibility and an organisational footprint in Ogun, Oyo, and Ondo States.

     The ADC’s most notable Southwest showing came in Oyo State, where it won a few House of Assembly seats in 2019 and played a key role in the coalition that helped Governor Seyi Makinde of the PDP secure victory. Beyond these flashes, however, the party has struggled to maintain a consistent winning structure in the region.

    Why push for Southwest votes?

    Sources say the current push in the Southwest is more deliberate. Former National Chairman Ralph Okey Nwosu had once said that the party is done playing a “supporting role” in Nigerian politics and now aims to be a coalition-builder offering a credible alternative to voters disillusioned by the APC-PDP duopoly.

     According to him, poverty, insecurity, decrepit infrastructure, and unemployment, which successive governments have failed to address, affect the Southwest as much as other regions. “What the ADC wants is to return hope and a good life to Nigerians,” he said.

     A central part of this strategy is ongoing merger talks with smaller parties and independent movements. Nwosu said the ADC is in advanced discussions with the Social Democratic Party (SDP), LP breakaway factions, and grassroots associations in the Southwest. The goal is to create a broad political platform by the end of 2025 to allow for joint mobilisation before the election cycle peaks.

      Aregbesola, the Interim National Secretary, has specifically been tasked to galvanize and mobilize voters to embrace ADC in the Southwest.

     It is believed that with his political acumen for grassroots mobilization, the former minister will be able to rally voters to embrace ADC and split the All Progressives Congress (APC) votes in the region.

    This is one of the grand plans to weaken the political base of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is likely to win the ticket of the ruling party in 2027.

    Ex-minister’s political voyage

      Aregbesola, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from The Polytechnic, Ibadan, was a Speaker of the Students’ Parliament (1977–1978), and the President of the Black Nationalist Movement (1978–1980). Due to his involvement in students’ activism, he was made a life member of the National Association of Technological Students.

     In June 1990, he became an elected delegate to the Social Democratic Party Inaugural Local Government Area Congress. In July of the same year, he was also a delegate to its first National Convention in Abuja. Aregbesola, as a pro-democracy and human rights activist, was a major participant in the demilitarization and pro-democracy struggles of the 1990s in Nigeria.

     Upon the return of the country to democratic rule in 1999, he was a member of the Alliance for Democracy, which sponsored Senator Bola Tinubu, now the President, to become governor of Lagos State in the same year.

     Aregbesola was Director of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Campaign Organisation (BATCO), who drove the electoral victory of Bola Tinubu in 1999, and he performed a similar feat with the platform of the Independent Campaign Group, with which he ensured the re-election of Tinubu for a second term in office.

     Governor Tinubu appointed Aregbesola a Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in 1999, and he remained so for seven years, till he left to contest the Osun governorship election in 2007.

     He was like the deputy leader of Lagos politics as Tinubu gave him a free hand to operate.

     Aregbesola was made the leader of the Mandate Group, a strong political group in the APC. He was the kingmaker in Alimosho.

     With Aregbesola as governor of Osun State, the leadership of the Mandate Group was transferred to Cardinal James Odunmbaku, popularly known as Baba Eto.

     During his reign as Osun Governor, Aregbesola almost set the state on fire when he introduced hijab in all schools, which the Christians kicked against.

     He also introduced a uniform in all schools in Osun. For about five years of his eight-year tenure, Aregbesola paid Osun workers half salaries and adopted several unpleasant policies.

     Aregbesola was later to become Minister of Interior under President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term.

     The Osun State Governorship election in 2018 that brought in Oyetola marked the beginning of visible crack between Aregbesola and his political leader, Tinubu.

     The PDP’s governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke was coasting home to victory when the election was declared inconclusive, warranting a re-run in some local governments.

     That was what changed the game for the APC. Tinubu mobilised massively to ensure that Oyetola emerged winner of the election.

     Having completed his two terms as governor of Osun, sources said that Aregbesola came back to his base in Alimosho to take over as leader of the Mandate Group.

     In May 2020, he was alleged to have unilaterally sacked Odumbaku as leader of Mandate Group and appointed his crony, Alhaji Enilolobo Ayinde as new chairman of the group. This was seen as an affront on Tinubu and that further widened the gap between Aregbesola and Tinubu.

    With the latest trend of making Enilolobo as Mandate Group Chairman without Tinubu’s approval and with what the former Lagos governor heard of him, he was set to dangle the axe.

     It was also gathered that unpleasant things Aregbesola said about Tinubu in secret were recorded and played back to Tinubu who became disappointed.

     In a bid to whittle Aregbesola’s growing influence in Lagos, Tinubu ordered the dissolution of both the Mandate Group and Justice Forum. In June 2020, the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC) announced the dissolution of all political groups within the All Progressives Party (APC) in the state.

     During the Local Government Election in Lagos, in 2021, Aregbesola’s loyalists were cut to size. They were replaced in Alimosho, leaving him with nothing to hold on to. He now sees Osun as his last hope of becoming relevant.

     In return, he had to ensure that Oyetola did not return for another four years.

     Aregbesola vented his frustration and anger on Tinubu on 15 February, 2022 and officially parted ways with him.

     He told Tinubu that the same treatment meted out to a former Lagos State governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, which foreclosed his re-election bid in 2019, would be administered on his brother and Governor of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola and he did that by aligning forces with Adeleke, who eventually won the election.

     Soon after the election, the synergy between the duo collapsed and both threw tantrums at each other.

     In October 2024, the APC suspended the former governor over allegations of anti-party activities including promoting factionalism and colluding with opposition parties, among other allegations.

     Responding, the former governor, alongside some of his supporters, pulled out of the APC in January 2025.

     In early March 2025, Aregbesola made his debut in ADC and he was subsequently appointed as the interim secretary.

    ADC’s standing in Southwest

     In the region, ADC doesn’t have any elective posts in the region. Yet, there are reports of new entrants into the party in Lagos, Ekiti, Osun and Oyo. Aside from Osun, the machineries of the ruling parties in those states are formidable. ADC’s ability to challenge the parties will depend on whether its coalition of ex-PDP, LP, and APC members can stay united and translate meetings into sustained grassroots mobilisation.

     In Ondo, ADC’s rollout has been turbulent. Weeks after its Abuja unveiling, the state chapter plunged into a leadership crisis, with rival factions claiming control. Prof. Bode Ayorinde insists he is the state coordinator, while the official executive led by Mrs. Sidikatu Ganiyu Ojo maintains it is the only recognised leadership.

     Political analyst Dotun Adubiaro warns that, with less than two years to the polls, the party must quickly resolve internal disputes and broaden its grassroots appeal. “ADC needs more than recycled politicians to make an impact, especially in the South-West,” he said.

     In Ogun, ADC faces battles on two fronts: against the ruling APC and the formidable PDP opposition. The party has been an outspoken critic of Governor Dapo Abiodun, accusing him of “mis-governance, economic recklessness, and plunging 68.1 per cent of residents into poverty.” APC dismissed the ADC as “a coalition of political scammers.”

    Prof. Rasheed Olaniyi of the University of Ibadan described ADC a party with potential without momentum, adding the party has only attracted disgruntled politicians, many of whom with little or no electoral value in their constituencies.

     According to him, Aregbesola’s success with the ADC will depend on various factors, including the party’s overall strategy, the strength of its candidates, and the electoral landscape in 2027.

    Though Ogbeni Aregbesola has received a few decampees into his new party to stage rebellion against President Tinubu,   sources say the mission is proving harder than expected.

    According to an analyst, Halimah Sanda, Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the vision and drive of ADC. “Perhaps another issue is the need for the leadership of the party to state, in clear terms, what it stands for and what it is offering Nigerians, better than the ruling APC.

    “For this coalition to stand out, it must earn its legitimacy. And that legitimacy will come from clarity,” she added.

    “What does the coalition stand for? Beyond the goal of defeating the APC, what is it offering? How will it handle education, health, security, jobs and the economy?

    Also, a former presidential media aide, Laolu Akande, argued that the party has failed to provide any compelling reason to convince Nigerians that it offers a credible alternative to the ruling APC.

    According to him, the coalition is largely composed of familiar political figures that are driven more by personal grievances than genuine national interest.

    “I think the APC has better arrangements,” Akande said, emphasising that the opposition’s main goal appears to be ousting President Bola Tinubu without offering concrete alternatives to Nigerians.

    He also queried the presence of those he called career politicians at the helm of the opposition movement, noting that they are unlikely to inspire public confidence.

    Crisis over Aregbesola’s secretary role

    Key stakeholders ADC have rejected the appointment of Aregbesola, as the party’s interim National Secretary.

    Musa Isa Matara IQAM, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, alongside youth leaders, women leaders, state party executives, and ward coordinators nationwide rejected Aregbesola’s appointment.

    In a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, they declared that the so-called appointment has no legitimacy and violates the party’s constitution.

    They further punctured Aregbesola’s claim that the ADC has become the new platform for a National Opposition Coalition, describing the narrative as misleading and disrespectful to the millions of grassroots members who were never consulted.

    “Our party is not a private platform to be hijacked by any elite group, no matter how polished their speeches sound. The ADC has structures, organs, and constitutional guidelines none of which were respected in this announcement,” the statement read.

    They also warned that the party’s lingering post-2023 legal disputes have not been resolved, making any coalition built on such a shaky foundation both “irresponsible and self-destructive.”

    “We call on those trooping in under this chaotic coalition to tread carefully. Some individuals are attempting to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain. The ADC is not for sale,” Dr. Matara stressed.