A faction of African Democratic Congress (ADC) stakeholders has strongly opposed the appointment of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s Interim National Secretary. The group, led by ADC National Publicity Secretary Dr. Musa Isa Matara, accused Aregbesola and his supporters of attempting to hijack the party.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the stakeholders, which include women and youth groups, said they support coalitions and reform but reject “imposition” and “elitist intentions” masked as revolutionary ideas.
Matara stressed that no leadership changes should be recognized until they are confirmed by a legitimate ADC National Convention or National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. The group claimed that the NEC, state chairmen, youth leaders, and other elected officers were not consulted about Aregbesola’s appointment.
They also denied that ADC has become the platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group, stating millions of members were not informed or involved in any coalition decisions. The stakeholders warned against any forced mergers without grassroots consent, calling such moves a threat to democratic ethics and the party’s sovereignty.
The statement further revealed that the ADC is still dealing with unresolved legal issues from the 2023 elections, warning that any coalition built on uncertain legal grounds could be self-destructive. They accused some individuals of trying to sell out the party’s core values for personal gain and warned new entrants to tread carefully.
The group ended by highlighting that the ADC belongs to its members and is not for sale to “political merchants or elite dealmakers.”