In a recent interview, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the National Publicity Secretary for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), spoke candidly about the current administration’s performance and its potential impact on the 2027 general elections. He believes the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has caused significant hardship for Nigerians and should not be trusted with another term. The following is a summary of his conversation with Euclid Myke of Zoyols Blog.
The ADC’s Leadership Crisis
When asked about a recent court order reportedly restraining the ADC’s chairman, David Mark, and secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, Abdullahi dismissed the claim as “curious” and “disinformation.” He explained that the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) had already officially recognized the party’s new leadership. After reviewing the court documents, he found that the claim was false, and the court had outrightly rejected the prayer to overturn the party’s decision. Abdullahi sees this as a continuation of efforts by “agents of destabilization” to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
He noted that the new leadership was unanimously chosen at the party’s 99th NEC meeting, which was observed by INEC. He questioned why a small minority would go to court to overturn a decision made by the majority of the party, pointing out that the Supreme Court has already settled the issue of party leadership.
Response to Criticisms
Abdullahi also addressed the criticism from former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachukwu, who described the new ADC leadership as an “assemblage of retired politicians.” Abdullahi stated that Kachukwu has no right to comment on the party’s direction, as a one-time candidate does not own the party.
He also challenged the notion of a “recycled politician” as a negative thing, asking, “When does it become a crime to be an older person?” He argued that nearly every politician in Nigeria has held one position or another and has moved between parties. “Are we going to manufacture a new political class overnight?” he asked. “It’s the same recycled people who do politics in Nigeria. And we’re not going to bring foreigners to play politics in Nigeria.”
On the subject of reconciliation, Abdullahi said the party is willing to talk to anyone with a legitimate grievance. However, he drew a line at people he believes are being deliberately “belligerent” with the ulterior motive of destabilizing the party. “If what you are doing is to continue to drag the party back… we’ll move on and we’ll be willing to match them for whatever it is worth,” he warned.
Accusations of Falsified Reports
Abdullahi stood by his earlier accusations that the Tinubu administration has been falsifying infrastructure development reports and practicing nepotism. He said the government’s own clarification on the matter actually confirmed his claims. He pointed to instances where projects belonging to one geopolitical zone were listed under another, projects were double-listed, and a 34-kilometer road was exaggerated to be over 130 kilometers long.
“Is it somebody trying to be creative with statistics, trying to doctor statistics to make it fit the narrative of equity and balance?” he asked. “Or is this sheer incompetence? Either way you look at it, it doesn’t exonerate the government.”
