Governors are steering clear of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) because of growing political intimidation, according to Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s National Publicity Secretary.
He made the claim on Saturday, July 26, during the third expanded meeting of the Northern Political Consultative Group (NPCG) in Abuja.
Abdullahi explained that governors now fear open defection. Instead, they submit to pressure and publicly endorse presidential candidates they do not truly support.
“They are intimidated. That’s why none of them has joined us. They pretend to endorse certain candidates, but behind closed doors, they want change,” he said.
Furthermore, Abdullahi described the situation as a political conspiracy against Nigerians.
He emphasized that intimidation tactics aim to suppress the opposition’s strength ahead of the 2027 elections.
Notably, his statement followed the formation of a new opposition coalition under the ADC platform on July 1.
Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai all attended the unveiling.
The coalition named David Mark as interim chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as interim secretary.
However, despite the lineup of political heavyweights, no sitting governor has joined the coalition.
Meanwhile, the Benue ADC leadership denied rumours linking Governor Hyacinth Alia to the party.
Stevie Ayua, the Benue ADC Steering Committee’s Publicity Secretary, addressed the issue in a statement released in Makurdi over the weekend.
Ayua stated clearly that Governor Alia does not fund or influence the party’s operations.
He added that the ADC began registering new members across Benue on July 10.
“Our supporters have funded our growth through voluntary contributions.
We are not aligned with Governor Alia, despite the lies some people spread,” Ayua said.
At the same time, ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, Dumebi Kachikwu, expressed doubts about the coalition’s future.
During an interview on The Volume Pod, he warned that the alliance is doomed.
“They are heading down a slippery slope. That path only leads to failure,” he said.
Kachikwu argued that the coalition has no legal foundation. He stressed that Ralph Nwosu, the former chairman, had no right to hand over the party’s leadership.
According to him, two separate courts already ruled that Nwosu’s tenure ended two years ago.
In addition, Kachikwu revealed that some coalition members now regret their decision. “They are reaching out to me.
Through friends and associates, they admit they acted without sorting the legal mess first,” he said.
Since the coalition’s launch, Kachikwu has consistently attacked its legitimacy.
He believes that any alliance based on manipulation and illegality cannot succeed.