A major faction within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is rejecting the party’s adoption as the platform for a newly formed opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Senate President David Mark. The faction, led by Musa Isa Matara, the party’s national publicity secretary, claims the decision to merge with the opposition coalition was made without consulting key party structures, including state executives, youth and women leaders, and ward coordinators.

Matara warned that the ADC is not a “private coalition platform” to be hijacked by political elites and emphasized that the party belongs to its members, not “political merchants or elite dealmakers.” The faction expressed outrage over the unilateral decision, stating that millions of ADC members have not been informed or involved in the coalition discussions.

The controversy follows a meeting in Abuja where the opposition coalition, comprising notable politicians such as former governors Sule Lamido, Babangida Aliyu, Sam Egwu, Aminu Tambuwal, and Liyel Imoke, as well as former PDP national chairman Uche Secondus, agreed to use the ADC as their platform. The coalition named David Mark and former Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola as interim national chairman and secretary, respectively, with former sports minister Bolaji Abdullahi as spokesperson.

However, the ADC faction insists that these appointments are invalid, as they were not ratified by the party’s National Executive Committee or a national convention. Moreover, the faction highlighted that the party has been battling unresolved legal crises since the 2023 general elections, making any coalition attempt potentially self-destructive.

The faction’s statement reads, “If anyone is attempting to force an opposition merger without grassroots consent, they are trampling on democratic ethics and party sovereignty.” They maintain that the ADC welcomes alliances but will not accept a hostile takeover.