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Bolaji Abdullahi, Interim National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has offered insights into Nigeria’s evolving opposition landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
During a conversation on the latest edition of Athena Voices, hosted by Clearpath Media TV and themed “2027: Opposition and the ADC Move – Saving Democracy or Seizing Power?”, the former Minister of Youth Development cast a spotlight on the urgency of rescuing Nigeria’s democratic project from collapse.
Abdullahi noted that the ADC’s emerging coalition of opposition forces is not just a political strategy, but a direct consequence of the ruling party’s systematic decimation of other political platforms.
“The government itself created the political context that makes ADC necessary,” he said. “If the PDP had been allowed to survive, if the Labour Party hadn’t been destabilised, and if the SDP hadn’t been hijacked, many of the prominent figures in the ADC coalition today would still be in their original parties. This coalition was forced into existence.”
Citing internal democracy and the rule of law as the defining values of the ADC, Abdullahi argued that the failures of Nigeria’s legacy parties stemmed directly from the absence of these principles.
“ADC is a product of a particular political and historical context. The collapse of legacy parties like the PDP, SDP and LP can be traced to a disregard for internal democracy and the rule of law,” he explained. “What we are building now is a party rooted in these ideals — one that can truly offer Nigerians an alternative.”
Pressed on whether the ADC coalition had overcome potential internal conflicts, Abdullahi acknowledged that while challenges remain, the group has been deliberate about building a stable foundation.
“We are lucky to have Senator David Mark driving this movement. He’s someone heavily respected by everyone in the coalition — someone people instinctively trust,” he affirmed.
Abdullahi also sounded a note of caution regarding the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system, asserting that state institutions are now tools in the hands of the ruling party.
“We know that the government, more or less, controls INEC. And they’ll do whatever it takes to frustrate the opposition,” he warned. “They’ve created a situation where you’re either in the APC or in the coalition. The APC is the government. The coalition is the Nigerian people who have suffered in the last two years.”
In a damning assessment of the Tinubu-led government, Abdullahi criticised recent economic decisions that he said have worsened livelihoods across the country.
“There are policies this government took that are undermining the livelihoods of Nigerians. And the National Assembly, instead of oversight, has become the number one supporter of the President. That’s why people are saying this isn’t about ambition — it’s about rescuing Nigerians.”
The ADC, he concluded, is committed to building a platform not just for 2027, but for long-term democratic renewal.
“We’re not just forming a party to contest an election. We’re forming a vehicle to restore Nigerians’ faith in politics. And we will press, push and persist – despite every obstacle -because this is no longer about politics. It’s about saving democracy.”
The interview comes one day after the coalition, led by Senator David Mark, formally announced the adoption of the ADC as its common platform.
Athena Voices observes that with Nigeria facing mounting security, economic, and institutional challenges, this development marks one of the most significant realignments in the country’s political landscape since 1999.