2027: Founding ADC Chairman Says Party Must Be On The Ballot

Founding National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Okey Ralph Nwosu, has declared that the 2027 general elections will not hold if the party is excluded from the ballot.

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Nwosu also asserted that the opposition party has already secured the numbers and momentum required to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the next election cycle.

He made these remarks on Wednesday in Abuja at the party’s National Secretariat during the ADC Youth Champions and Prospective Legislative Summit, organised by the Office of the National Youth Leader.

The event drew a large gathering of young aspirants contesting various political positions across the country, alongside prominent party leaders. It was aimed at strengthening youth and women’s participation in governance and public office.

Speaking at the summit, Nwosu said the ADC, through its coalition efforts, has recorded “phenomenal achievements,” revealing that as of Tuesday evening, some serving senators from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and other parties were already in talks to join the party.

“With the number we have today in ADC, what we have achieved by the coalition is phenomenal. No matter how anyone thinks they can bring this down, they cannot. To do so would almost amount to bringing down our democracy, and God will not allow that,” he said.

Nwosu attributed the current challenges facing the party to what he described as a deeply entrenched culture of impunity in Nigerian politics.

“The culture in place is dirty. It is very difficult to change, but we will continue to work hard to do so. You don’t need a million people; you just need a few determined minds,” he stated.

He added that those in power would continue to resist change, especially when faced with the possibility of losing control.

“When people in power, especially in third-world countries, feel they can play God, they will try everything when it becomes clear to them that their time is over,” he said.

Declaring that the current administration’s political time was up, Nwosu stated: “The time is over for Tinubu politically, and he must go. The time is over for Akpabio, and they must go.”

He further revealed that the party’s membership drive has gained massive traction.

“The statistics are already there on our portal. We are recording over five million people who are willing to pay and become members of the ADC. By the time registration closes, we expect a minimum of 11 million members ready to contribute financially,” he said.

According to him, despite alleged challenges posed by the current government, more defections into the ADC are imminent.

“Despite the challenges the government is deliberately throwing at us, some senators decided just yesterday that they are joining the ADC,” he added.

Nwosu insisted that the party’s participation in the electoral process is non-negotiable.

“All I know is that Tinubu and Amupitan cannot conduct any election in this country if the ADC is not on the ballot,” he declared.

He, however, urged party members to remain committed and steadfast, noting that the ADC constitution already guarantees 50 per cent representation for youths and women.

Earlier in his remarks, the ADC National Youth Leader, Comrade Balarabe Rufai, stressed that affirmative action for youths and women must go beyond rhetoric.

“As we approach our party primaries, let it be stated without ambiguity: the provisions of the ADC constitution on inclusion are sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” he said.

Rufai emphasised that the youth constituency is not seeking favour but asserting its constitutional rights.

“Twelve governorship tickets are reserved for the youth. At least one Senate ticket in every state belongs to the youth, and 10 to 15 State Houses of Assembly slots per state are designated for young people. These are not promises; they are enforceable commitments,” he stated.

He urged the party leadership under Senator David Mark to implement these provisions without compromise and encouraged young aspirants not to lose faith.

“You are not here to observe the system; you are here to enter it, transform it, and lead it,” he said.

Rufai also announced the establishment of key structures within the youth wing, including a Youth Aspirants Screening Committee, a Youth Opinion Poll Committee, and a Youth Leaders Advisory Committee on INEC and Litigations, aimed at strengthening transparency, preparedness, and legal compliance.

In her goodwill message, former presidential aide Lauretta Onochie said young Nigerians have for too long been relegated to the sidelines of politics.

“That era of exclusion has ended. The affirmative action in the ADC constitution is not a favour; it is a structural rebalancing of power,” she said.

She urged aspiring legislators to develop critical skills such as policy competence, communication, negotiation, accountability, and strategic thinking.

“Nigeria stands at a crossroads. A country with one of the youngest populations in the world cannot continue to be governed by outdated ideas that no longer serve its future,” she added.