Ahead of the 2027 elections, the African Democratic Congress ADC S’West caucus has expressed concerns over the purported acts of its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, claiming they are impeding the party’s cooperation and advancement in the region.
Following a meeting to discuss the convention and developments in the zone, Dr. Babatunde Oke, National Director of Communication and Programs, issued a statement outlining the position on behalf of the South-West leadership, which is led by Honourable Rahman Owokoniran.
The ADC S’West caucus stated that it had discovered what it called a significant internal problem impacting the area, while emphasizing unity, peace, and cooperation as the route to victory.
The statement, which was a result of the analysis of the party’s recently finished national convention in Abuja, led to South-West leadership expressing worry that the problems go beyond the event and represent more general difficulties with coordination, unity, and readiness in one of the party’s crucial areas.
“We have written to the national headquarters of our great party, African Democratic Congress ADC, lodged complaints severally against his actions and the negative impacts on the progress of the party in the South-West, ranging from membership registrations, party’s expansion. The worst of all is the ridiculous outings or turnout from South-West in the last national convention, to say the least,” the statement said.
“We have asked this question often that Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola should come out plain by telling Nigerians who he is working for, the ADC or otherwise. You cannot claim you are working for ADC and at the same time destroying and sabotaging the progress,” it added.
“The representations at the just concluded national convention of our great party from the South-West is not just ridiculous but disgraceful, a region where the head of administration of the party comes from. This should call for sober reflection among the stakeholders. His actions resulted in duplicate state congresses in the region, an avoidable embarrassment.”
The ADC S’West leadership urged the party’s national leadership, headed by Chairman David Mark, to take action in order to resolve the issues and maintain stability.
“The national headquarters, led by our eminent national chairman, Distinguished Senator David Mark, should be fully aware that he has a lot at stake in the South-West and should not allow himself to be bullied by agents of distraction. We know what their agenda is and such is inimical to the success of ADC in the zone.
“If they are not working for All Progressives Congress within African Democratic Congress ADC, then they should desist from creating frictions in the zone. If truly they are for the success of our great party, then they should put an immediate end to these anti-party activities and tendencies,” the caucus noted.
“We don’t need distractions. The party doesn’t need such at this critical stage we found ourselves. The Owokoniran-led South-West leadership of African Democratic Congress ADC demands an immediate full stop to this dangerous trend emanating from Aregbesola’s end,” the statement added.
ADC S’West ahead of 2027 general elections
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, the S’West caucus warned that internal tensions could affect the party’s prospects if not addressed.
The concerns join a growing list of the troubles facing the opposition party as it struggles to establish a strong foothold in the political scene of the country. The Independent National Commission (INEC) delisted the factional leaderships of the party and was not present at the national convention that it (ADC) insisted was going to go on as planned.
