PRESS STATEMENT: DON'T TRY IT! LABOUR PARTY WARNING TO RMAFC ON PROPOSED SALARY INCREASE FOR POLITICIANS

Prince Tony

By Prince Tony Akeni, National Publicity Secretary (Interim), Labour Party, Thursday August 21, 2025

This press briefing is to serve the sternest warning to the chairman of the Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr. Mohammed Shehu. 

Every Tinubu minister and head of agency wants to leave government in 2027 richer than Dangote, but not necessarily through hard work and industry. The chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr. Mohammed Shehu, for his personal benefits, appears to have joined the list as the latest addition to Nigeria's unfortunate story of the insensitivity of government and its agencies to the hydra-headed plights of Nigeria's citizens. 

On Monday August 18, 2025 Mohammed Shehu woke up on the wrong side of his bed and decided to take his own pound of flesh from the long suffering but pliant Nigerian people by adding his own dimension of nightmares to the treasury bunkering of the ruling APC government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

You will recall that in a press conference he held in Abuja on the aforementioned date, the fiscal allocation commission's chairman served Nigerians a menu of fallacies to insult the intelligence of Nigerians by claiming that all Mr. President receives for his office in an entire year is a paltry #18million at a salary of #1.5million per month, while his ministers receive #1million per month or #12million per annum. This mischievous and obnoxious lie of figure juggling was corroborated by the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Michael Cardoso, who, according to unrefuted information in the public domain, enjoys unheard-of Eldorado luxury living which, beside his monumental monthly salary, includes a #1b (one billion naira) annual housing allowance and $15million or #24billion global flight tickets and single-handedly appointed a bevy of lady consultants who receive #35million and #50million per month, (not per year). For avoidance of doubts, two of the bevy who receive these Olympian and outrageous salaries in the office of the Nigerian CBN Governor, according to the unchallenged reports, are Ms. Daphne Dafinone and Ms. Nkiru Balonwu who is facing EFCC investigations for alleged egregious financial conduct. 

The above infantile Disneyland story of the RMAFC's chairman, Mr. Shehu Mohammed, is further starkly contradicted by the fact that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's wife has suddenly, after 2023 swearing-in of Tinubu, found fortune which enables her to donate to events as much as #1billion in a single occasion when her husband receives a miserable paltry sum of #18million per annum as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

When we say every actor of fortune under the Tinubu-APC maladministration is out to out-Dangote Dangote by the time the Labour Party and the good people of Nigeria boot them out of office in 2027, it is both a moral and institutional duty that we supply background to prove our assertion. I urge all Nigerians to join our party follow the trail of this locust swarm called APC by reading this to the end and rising to act.

We shall forerun our engagement of the chairman of the revenue allocation commission and his campaign for salary increase for politicians with the facts and figures of epic public finance abuses we present below to help Nigerians reflect, evaluate afresh and to stand up against the dangers posed to their lives by the current APC administration. The chronicle of government promoted corruption among heads of agencies which the Labour Party delivers below are for just 2025, and the year is still running.

1. In the 2025 Federal Government budget figure of #54.99trillion signed into law on February 8, 2025, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, needed to buy a nuclear station that produces electricity for the common good of Nigerians. So, he inserted an amount that will cost Nigerians #266million per street light; an unseen type of streetlight that would probably come with a Maikano power plant and a piece of the sun each. The APC rubber-stamp Senate of Mr. Godswill Akpabio approved it. When yam falls into a palm oil bowl, what do you expect? The above budget for mere streetlights was in addition to Minister Bagudu tucking into the 2025 budget what BudgIT, the public finance tracking agency, called "ghost projects" amounting to #6.93 trillion.

2. On June 10, 2025, the APC's FCT sheriff, Minister Nyesom Wike re-commissioned the now re-named Abuja International Conference Centre after a solo renovation cost submission of #39billion. The renovation went through contract award without competitive biddings required by Nigeria's Due Process laws. This is an amount of money that would have built for Nigerians a minimum of nine modern equiped health centres in each state of the federation or approximately three health centres in every senatorial district of Nigeria, including Abuja FCT. To comfort Nigerians for their pains and complaints, Nyesom Wike has been singing the lullaby to the public against critics' umbrage that the conference centre, which is actually a ghosts' haven 90% of the year, is now churning mountainous revenues into the coffers of the government after its renovation, and that it is fully booked up to 2027. Of course, it is fully booked by ghosts for ghost activities. 

Meanwhile, in contrast to Minister Wike's #39billion windfall for a conference hall renovation, only #10billion was budgeted for Nigeria's entire land border security covering 4,047 kilometers, a whopping #150billion was set on fire to purchase a used presidential jet for President Tinubu and another #5billion for an idle presidential yacht. 

3. On June 11, 2025, the Minister of Agriculture, Sen. Abubakar Kyari, approved a portion of the ministry's 2025 budget of #636billion for a fasting and prayer programme for all its staff to boost agriculture and vanquish hunger in Nigeria. The circular to all staff on this epic event summoned staff to come to work fasting for "a solemn session for God's guidance and success in supporting the (Tinubu) government's efforts to achieve food security." Nigerians, where on earth except APC's Nigeria is modern mechanized farming and food security attained through budget financed prayers and fasting? Is this also the model for governance of nations which China, Japan, Singapore, The Netherlands, Israel, even war-torn Ukraine and other successful Agric pillared economies used to achieve food security?

4. On August 5, 2025, the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo, dutifully molested Nigerians' ear drums with the news of renovating Lagos Airport at a cost of #712billion or $447million. Again, this airport could be renovated fit and proper to world standard with a much smaller fraction of that cost with ample room to build a maternity annex in the peri-urban communities of every of Nigeria's 774 local government council areas.   

5. On August 14, 2025, the APC Works Minister, Engr. David Umahi, ruthlessly shocked Nigerians by announcing that his ministry needed #3.6trillion to demolish and build, brand new from scratch, the 3rd Mainland Bridge in Lagos or, ironically, a higher amount of #3.8trillion to repair the existing one. What Minister David Umahi is audaciously asking to renovate the Lagos 3rd Mainland Bridge is 1.97% or nearly 2% of Nigeria's entire 2025 federal government budget. Let us take stock.

i. The Lagos 3rd Mainland Bridge is 11.8km long, and has insignificant physical obstacles by marine engineering standards, which involve mere water depths ranging from two to ten meters, the deepest point, it is said, being at the entrance of the Commodore Channel. 

ii. The longest bridge in the world, the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge (DKG Bridge) is 168.8km. Considerable engineering obstacles to its construction involved about 150 river channels. Additionally, it had to be designed with ferro-concrete bastions to support the famous Beijing-Shanghai high speed railway which intercepts it.

iii. The cost of constructing the DKG Bridge of 168.8km was $8.5b or #13trillion. This brought the average cost of one kilometer to #79billion. Nigeria's Minister David Umahi's cost of $2.35b for mere 11.8km brings the average cost of one kilometer of his 3rd Mainland Bridge to $198.8m or #305b. This is 3.8 times or nearly 400% higher than China's DKG Bridge. It is ok to aspire to be as rich or to out-rich Dangote, but Labour Party insists that it should not be at the death of Nigerians through phantom budgets and corruption facilitated mass burials.

6. Before the above, Nigeria's PDP and APC governments from 1999 to 2023 had burnt $18b in refurbishing and rehabilitation claims of the country's three refineries in Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna. In less than 15 months of being sworn into office, Tinubu and his APC cabinet set another $2.8 on fire on a failed wild goose rehabilitation scheme which was sold to the Nigerian public in barefaced deceit and ended in a catastrophic flop. Shockingly, without formal admission of failure and expenditure audit, the Tinubu Administration is quietly out to put the decorated skeletons of the refineries for sale to cronies. In a recent fatalistic undertaker's verdict by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, the private owner of Nigeria's only working and largest refinery in Africa, the Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna refinery ghosts of Nigeria can never work again. 

7. Also before now, rewind to May 26, 2023, three days to late President Muhammadu Buhari's hand-over of power to the Tinubu Administration. Nigerians will recall that Buhari and his then Aviation Minister, Mr. Hadi Sirika, chartered an Ethiopian Boeing 737 commercial jet in Addis Ababa, painted it into a sham Nigeria Air courier colours and logo and flew it into Nigeria. On the said May 26, 2025, the static plane was decorated in ribbons at the Nnamdi Azikiwe airport in Abuja and displayed to the press as a ceremony commissioning the new Nigeria Air courier, with other jets to follow soon after. After the unveiling it was flown back to Ethiopia, the Nigerian colours and logo washed away and its Ethiopian colours restored. It immediately resumed operations with the Ethiopian fleet after its one-day scam ceremony by the APC government in Nigeria. In Buhari's eight years of annual budgets for the aviation sector and the phantom "Nigeria Air" swindle, his APC administration swindled from the Nigeria treasury #85.42billion. No trial to conviction has been recorded till date on this massive, flagrant, in-your-face public fraud.

8. In the light of the above, the Labour Party hereby emphatically declares that the unsolicited, self appointed campaign by the chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), Mr. Mohammed Shehu, for salary increase for politicians, who are already clearly over-indulged in the eyes of civilize democracies of the world, is suspect. We are compelled to agree with millions of Nigerians that Mr. Mohammed Shehu has hidden unpatriotic motives in flying this audacious, unconscionable and insensitive scheme, especially at this time when countless Nigerians are passing through untold economic hardship and its accompanying privations, vagaries and indignities. 

9. Our party's advice to the chairman of the RMAFC and his unseen collaborators, in and outside the commission, who are behind this misadventure is that they should immediately retrace their steps in their best interest. This is so that the commission will not confirm the suspicion and incur the wrath of outraged Nigerians across the country and beyond who believe that given the unscrupulous, unprosecuted and regime pampered corruption of APC administrations in general, officials of the are aiming their hands for the jar of the Tinubu Administration's unchecked APC corruption orgy at the expense of suffering Nigerians, expected to come through picking kudos commission from thousands of grateful Nigeria politicians nationwide who he may be in conspiracy with them to pay commission's chairman and his team financial homage for a job well-done, as well as other goodwill exchange within the corridors of power.

Furthermore, it will be callous remiss for the revenue allocation commission not to realize that rewarding politicians with more public funds from Nigeria's public treasury, which is already bleeding profusely from corruption, will keep Tinubu in his present mode of marathon borrowings and future short-changing foreign debts.

If anything, the campaign RMAFC should consider urgent, pressing and patriotic to join is to increase Nigeria's workers minimum wage from its present miserable paltry sum of #70,000 per month. In case the RMAFC's chairman is not aware, the United States of America just empathically issued a statement from across the Atlantic to appraise and advocate for improvement of Nigeria's pathetic miniuwage. If a foreign nation could should demonstrate such empathy towards our suffering citizens, the RMAFC's chairman and his administrative directors have no valid excuse not to do more.

Given the above corrosive corruption, grinding penury and retarded development potentials of Nigeria, it is painfully curious, an excruciating irony, that in her recent visit to Nigeria and the Presidency, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Nweala, the Nigerian born Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), should compliment the non-accounting administration of Bola Tinubu as doing well. Labour Party joins Nigeria in asking: will the WTO Director-General find the same benchmarks of corruption, pandemic official fraud, non-compliance with due process laws, flagrant inflation of infrastructure funds and sweeping insecurity plaguing Nigeria under the APC administration of Tinubu in any European, American, Asian countries or other regions of the world and honestly acclaim that they were doing well? Certainly not.

*Conclusion*

Fellow Nigerians, those who burn down a country and those who watch them do so in silence, complacency from privileged insulation and inaction are equal culprits.

The fight to dismantle the structure, superstructure and architecture of corruption is not Peter Obi's fight alone. It is not Labour Party's fight alone. It is the fight of all of us 200million Nigerians. It is a fight for our children, their own children and generations unborn.

APC is burning down our country with never before seen monstrosity of corruption in virtually every sector of our economy, national life and the daily petrifying insecurity of lives and properties that now hold our country's citizens hostage, wether in the cities or rural countrysides and farms where majority of our food and sustenance come from.

It takes a village to tie down a mad relative to give him medicine or put him in stocks for the safety of others. In 2027, let us rise together in communal unison as one people, irrespective of tribe, religion and region to see out of our land the wolf packs ravaging our flock, values and destiny as a great country.

SIGNED:

Prince Tony Akeni

National Publicity Secretary, Labour Party (Interim)

Bye-Election: Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu Makes More Revelations on his Election Spendings, Says hungry opportunists and fraudsters in the name of obidients Sell Out

Dexter 

The ADC House of Representatives candidate in the just concluded Bye-Election in Ibadan North Dr. Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu has made more Revelations about the poor outing of the party in the last Saturday Bye-Election.

 

Femi Dexter in a news statement shield more light on his campaign spending which many considered outrageous especially with the total 256 of votes scored and not 88 Votes as earlier rumored and publicized.

His latest message in response to critics on his election spending and donations received from donors especially from Peter Obi, opined that hungry opportunists and fraudsters in the name of obidients that worked with him in the course of his campaigns sold out after  money to work against him.

His full statement:

 Good morning all. I have made 3 statements already since the election concluded, and it has stated clearly all that any right thinking person needs to know. Whilst I have also seen a lot of bickering by the angry and hungry opportunists who feel they have a right to my campaign funds after selling out and receiving money to work against me, fraudsters in the name of obidients, people giving the movement a bad name, I am yet to see exactly any question apart from people questioning how my money was spent during the elections, opportunists that did not even show up for campaign Rallies that have suddenly turned themselves into stakeholders. They first claimed I received 10 million from PO, now when it is obvious I did not rather that eat their words and apologise, they are bickering over how I spent 77 million or whether I spent 77 million on a campaign I opened since September of last year from a campaign office I opened in Mokola since then. All the questions I see is why we have 88 votes, which by the way is actually 256, the answer is simple because people like those complaining sold out, got money to destroy the election and even after the election they have not stopped. Criminals with no integrity. What exactly is my crime ? Find me one ward chairman that was not mobilised for this election, find me the LG government chairman and let him come and say he wasn't mobilised, find me an agent that did not collect 5k with his tag and another 5k on submission of results. @⁨~agborjm@gmail.Com⁩, at least you are here, tell me if you did not employ 51 agents in Ward 12 alone. I dare you to produce 1 agent who did not receive their money. But the greedy opportunists who did not even leave their house on election day haven received funds to mobilize against us are here talking, they will rather the money was shared for them than use it well and when that does not happen they resort to cheap blackmail without substance. Any one apart from @⁨~agborjm@gmail.Com⁩ who I know received 20k out of the 80k sent to Tony to get 4 people to monitor the agents in Ward 12 alone. For the records I paid all agents from ward 1 to 12, 10k each and I paid 4 supervisors in each ward 20k each, I mobilised chairmen in 9 of the 12 wards 100k each, only the 2 wards where we did not have a chairman yet did not get it and BASA who was there when all this was done promised to pay the 100k of ward 5. I mobilised on average about 10 people in each ward between 20k and 100k on Friday night/ Saturday morning, most of this was done with a POS owned by Lolade of ward 5, for any one that is really interested in the truth this can be confirmed. 

Let anyone who wants to ask how we got 256 votes firstly tell all of us where they worked on election day to clear their name that they are not part of those who sold us out before they have the right to question the people who worked hard how we got 256 votes. This coordinated smear campaign is nothing but an attempt by hungry and angry sell out olitrickcians and fraudsters who have been exposed trying to change the narrative, but I promise you this are not the ones to birth a new Nigeria except we are fooling ourselves. I will repost the 3 statements here, one of which gave a full account of our campaign expenses since I opened the campaign office in September, and for the records every single naira apart from the donations of 11.4 million was from my personal sweat haven never held a political office or executed a government contract in my life.

Dr. Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu

20th August, 2025

OUTRAGEOUS: ADC Candidate in Ibadan North Bye-Election, Dexter Akin-Alamu Spends Over N77M, Got 88 Votes

The candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the last Saturday Bye-Election organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ibadan North of the Oyo state, Dr Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu has put his total expenditure at an over N77M. 

This disclosure by the candidate is considered outrageous especially by the Pharrell faction of the Obident associated to him and many other reasonable thinkers.

Also, the issues of non disclosure of the fund received from Mr. Peter Obi for the election and abysmal outing has been a concerned among many in the state who have become weary of the so called Obident group and their candidate who are known as cash and carry transactional politicians in the state.

The fund was said to have been facilitated by Dr. Yunusa Tanko and Aisah Yesufu.

Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu scored around eighty eight votes in the said election.

Bellow is the breakdown and acknowledgment of donations and expenditure as made public by the candidate:

Dexter 

*Campaign Financial Disclosure – Ibadan North, 2024/2025 Bye-Election*

In line with my earlier promise of transparency and full accountability, I am making a public disclosure of all funds received and expenses incurred during our campaign.

*Funds Received*

We received *₦11,400,000* in cash donations. We also received donations of campaign materials. Contributors include:

Dr. Michael Omuruyi

Dr. Kazeem Abidikugu

Dr. Kingsley Okundaye

Architect Folu Bademosi

Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose

Mrs. Temitayo Ogunsanya

Hon. Casimir Biriyok

Dr. Kashim Imam

Hon. Bolanle Amina Sarumi (BASA)

Mrs Fadekemi Oni

*For the avoidance of doubt and to counter false rumours, I want to clearly state that I have never received a dime from His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi — not during this election, nor during the 2023 general elections.*

*Campaign Expenditure*

Total campaign expenditure stood at *₦77,358,000*. Below is the breakdown:

Payment of Agents – ₦4,732,500

Payment of Canvassers – ₦962,800

Ward Exco Mobilization – ₦901,200

Political Groups Mobilization – ₦3,452,750

Individual Mobilization – ₦2,971,300

Transportation & Logistics – ₦1,894,600

Security – ₦1,862,400

Media (Radio, Online, Print) – ₦5,788,250

Rallies & Townhall Meetings – ₦6,934,800

Community Engagement & Welfare (foodstuffs, health outreaches, support packages) – ₦21,647,950

Printing (handbills, banners, fliers) – ₦2,182,400

Campaign Materials (caps, souvenirs) – ₦4,926,150

Staff Allowances & Operations – ₦14,771,900

Communication (calls, bulk SMS, data) – ₦3,299,500

Miscellaneous – ₦919,500

*Grand Total: ₦77,358,000

This is a full account of our campaign financing. Despite the outcome, our integrity remains intact. We will continue to stand for transparency, accountability, and the people.

Yours in the service of our nation,

Dr. Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu

Press Statement: Lies, smear campaigns, outright blackmail being orchestrated against Dr Dexter by a few hungry individuals hiding under the banner of the Obidient Movement in Oyo State can not stand

Dr Dexter 

It has become necessary to once again address the lies, smear campaigns, and outright blackmail being orchestrated against Dr. Dexter by a few hungry individuals hiding under the banner of the Obidient Movement in Oyo State.

Let us set the record straight:

They claim Dr Dexter received 10 million naira from Peter Obi, this is a total lie, The donation in question was from Alhaji. Kashim Imam and the donation neither came through the effort of Tanko or the obidient movement, Tanko himself was only contacted to verify the chances of Dr. Dexter at the elections. The donation came from a call Dr Dexter made by himself in the presence of witnesses on Friday morning to Aisha Yesufu who as at then had not been contacted by anyone about Dr. Dexter's election, it was after that he called Tanko to verify the details he was given by Dr. Dexter.

!. It is amazing that I am being asked as His DG Media what has been Dr. Dexter's contribution to the Obidient movement in Oyo state.

1. Leading to the 2023 elections. Dr. Dexter gave the Obidient Movement an office for use. on Ring road. That alone is more than many so-called leaders have done for this movement.

2. Just days to his own elections, Dr. Dexter still put the movement first by singlehandedly providing the air-conditioned hall, sound systems, screens, cameras, and every other equipment used for a recent seminar organized by the Obidient Movement. Their entire contribution was a mere ₦30,000 for diesel, which Dr dexter still added N100,000 to so the generator he provided for them can be put onl to power the event.

3. On the very day of his primaries, when Dr. Dexter asked the movement to help mobilize just 40 people, they bluntly said they could only do it if he first paid them ₦200,000 for “logistics.” He paid it. They only moved after collecting money. And now the same people have the audacity to question his loyalty to the Obidient cause? Laughable.

4. Ahead of the election, when rallies were put together just one week to voting day, these same people demanded ₦15,000 per car for fuel if any of their members were to drive around Ibadan North. When they didn’t get it, they disappeared. No mobilization, no participation.

5. As if that wasn’t enough, they shamelessly asked for ₦20 million for “mobilization for the election.” When Dr. Dexter refused to release such an outrageous sum, they went missing in action. But today, they cry that the ₦11.4 million donations he received— of which almost all the donors were Dr. Dexter's Family and friends.

Let us stop deceiving ourselves: many so-called Obidients are nothing but opportunists, using the name of His Excellency Peter Obi as a cover for scams and extortion.

And to crown the absurdity of it all, the loudest voice behind this smear campaign—Mr. Jeje Ibukun, who parades himself as “PRO” of the movement in Oyo State—was recently sacked by Christ Ambassadors School after being caught diverting funds meant for the school’s football field grass. Staff of the school and even those at Wells Radio confirmed his fraud. This same man is now sending threats to Dr. Dexter promising to “destroy his image.” Is this not laughable? A fraudster turned PRO is now the self-appointed judge of integrity?

Enough is enough.

The public deserves to know the truth: Dr. Dexter has given more to the Obidient Movement than many of the same people now trying to destroy him. This smear campaign is nothing but the cry of rejected stomach politicians who see the movement as a money-making machine.

The question is simple: if people who must be paid before they lift a finger call themselves “Obidient,” then who are we deceiving?

The time has come to expose opportunists hiding under the Obidient name for what they really are.

— Ayodele Olatunbosun

DG Media - Femilafe Campaign Organisation

For Dr Femi Dexter Akin-Alamu

ADC COALITION: Nobody has discussed being Atiku’s running mate with me, “I am going to run for president,” Obi

 Obi Confirms Presidential Bid, Rules Out Running Mate Option

Peter Obi 

The Symbol of Obidient Movement worldwide H E Peter Obi who is also a key figure in the ADC coalition, has announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential election and not running mate to anyone.

Peter Obi while on live interview program on Channels emphasized that he will not consider a running mate position, instead focusing on becoming the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, expressing confidence in his qualifications for the presidency, reaffirming his commitment to leading the Country .

“Seun, I don’t believe in assumptions. I am part of the Coalition that will produce a competent president with the capacity & the compassion to save this country.”  

"I have never worked for any government before I became governor.

I did not work for Abacha, I have never met him. We only reported issues about the port and we were asked to decongest the ports.

Everything lasted about 2 weeks" 

"Working with ADC coalition not anti-party"

“We at the ADC coalition have all agreed to work together ahead of the 2027 election".  

"Nobody has discussed being Atiku’s running mate with me, he adds. “I am going to run for president,” Obi said".

        

Seun Okinbalonye: Considering your reputation, don’t you think it’s contradictory for you to want to work with those who Nigerians believe failed when they were in govt?”

Peter Obi: Seun, to make progress, you need the experience of those who have failed and those who succeeded.

Today we have a country without compassion. In December 18 several children died in Ibadan, On 19 Tinubu flew to Lagos for Christmas holiday, I will not do that, I will go to Ibadan & lool for their parents & cry with them.

We will use all lawful means to remove Tinubu come 2027.

Seun: If you become president, will you release Nnamdi Kanu?

Peter Obi: 

Honestly, Seun, I still don’t know the exact reason why Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and has been detained till now. I’ve tried to find out what offense he committed, but I haven’t seen anything specific. Some say it’s because of the strong language he uses. Seun, go and check what he has said about me—he has called me all sorts of names and accused me of many things. But that doesn’t bother me, because I know those things don’t reflect who I truly am. So, I don’t take them personally. That’s why I find it difficult to understand the reason for his arrest, let alone why he’s still being held after all this time.

OPPOSITION LEADERS ADOPT ADC TO UNSEAT TINUBU, NAMES DAVID MARK, AREGBESOLA AS PROTEM LEADERS

After a high-level meeting in Abuja in Tuesday, major opposition coalition of political heavyweights in Nigeria  ahead of the 2027 general elections have adopted a New party to rescue the country from the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led APC federal government.

The realignment of Nigeria’s political landscape, top opposition leaders adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their new political platform, nominating former Senate President David Mark as the party’s protem national chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as protem national secretary.

Prominent leaders present at the meeting of the official adoption of ADC include former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi, former All Progressives Congress National Chairman John Oyegun, former Attorney-General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, former Cross River Governor Liyel Imoke, and former House Speaker and ex-Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

Others in attendance include influential political figures like Kashim Imam and other senior stakeholders from across the political spectrum.

Sources at the meeting described the development as a convergence of politicians from across party lines, driven by a shared determination to unseat President Bola Tinubu and dislodge the ruling APC in the 2027 elections.

The coalition includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, among others.

They argue that President Tinubu’s administration has failed to deliver on its promises, citing economic hardship, insecurity, and what they call “renewed hardship” instead of “renewed hope”.

The coalition aims to unify opposition forces across party lines to present a single, formidable candidate in 2027. Their rhetoric frames the movement as a rescue mission rather than just a political contest.

In June 2025, the coalition applied to register a new party called the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) with INEC. The application included a constitution, manifesto, and a maize-themed logo symbolsiing prosperity.

Two different groups submitted applications for parties with the ADA acronym—All Democratic Alliance and Advanced Democratic Alliance—which could complicate approval.

Facing delays and uncertainty around ADA’s registration, the coalition has now adopted the ADC as its platform.

This is getting very interesting! What happened in 2015 general elections, is it going to repeat itself in 2027?

ACCEPTANCE SPEECH FORMER OSUN STATE GOV RAUF AREGBESOLA ON HIS APPOINTMENT AS THE INTERIM NATIONAL SECRETARY, ADC - The party platform adopted by the National Opposition Coalition Group

Dear Party Leaders, Distinguished Members, Friends, and Fellow Citizens,

It is with deep humility, a profound sense of duty, and unwavering hope for our people, nation, race and party and that I accept the appointment as  The National Secretary of our great party.

I thank the leadership for the trust reposed in me. But more than that, I thank every committed member of this party are those who still believe that politics can be a force for good,  people who believe that party forms government and must control it. Those who believe in the supremacy of the party in a democracy and all products of democratic contests. Those who recognise that parties must stand for and with the people in the promotion of their interests and aspirations. That parties therefore are not merely machines for winning elections but institutions for mobilizing, organizing, energizing, educating, empowering and encouraging the people towards their emancipation and development.

Let me begin by saying this: a political  party is not a platform for opportunism. It is not a mere vehicle to power for the few, nor a tool for personal ambition. A political party, in its truest form, is a living institution—built on values, guided by ideals, and accountable to the people it seeks to serve.

Throughout Africa’s history, and particularly in the legacy of the African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa; a 113 year- behemoth of party organization that is impeccable in its credibility as a model of supremacy of party over its creation (government and popularly elected officials) have seen what a party grounded in ideology, principle, and people-centered struggle can achieve. The ANC  is not perfect—but it stands  for something. It was forged in resistance, sharpened by vision, and led by men and women who believe in justice, dignity, equality, inclusivity of all interests and true freedom. It has character. It has soul. It is therefore a true platform for the expression of their aspirations.

Sadly, in Nigeria today, we cannot say the same about many of our political parties.

Our political landscape is plagued by parties that lack ideological depth. They are empty shells—merging and splitting, not over policy or principle, but over power and personality. There is little regard for the people, and even less for the country.

That is not the kind of party we must be. That is not the kind of party I will serve.

As The National Secretary, I will work to build a party that has a clear ideological compass—a party that is absolutely committed to the people,  rooted in democratic values, rule of law, social justice, accountability, transparency and national development. A party that listens and works for to the people, not only during elections, but every single day.

We must become an institution where:

 (1) Internal democracy is not just preached but practiced.

 (2) Intra-party competition is transparent, fair, and just.

 (3) All party structures from the ward to the national level and function effectively and efficiently.

 (4) Young people, women, and the marginalized have a real voice, not symbolic inclusion.

        (5) All special and critical interests(security, educators, farmers, workers, women, youth, professionals, people with special needs, etc., must be recognised and allowed to have autonomous structures within the party.

We will model international best practices in party organization, administration, and ethics. We will study what works—from South Africa to Sweden, from Chile to Kenya, and adapt what fits our local reality. Discipline, order, clarity of purpose, and service to the people must define us.

We must be the party that talks about public education and actually builds schools. That speaks of security and supports real policies to keep our communities safe. That believes in jobs and works to create them. That stands for Nigeria not just during elections, but in everyday governance.

This is not an easy task. It will take time. It will demand sacrifice. But it can be done.

I ask for your support not just in words, but in action. Hold me accountable. Challenge me when I stray. And stand with me as we begin this journey to rebuild our party, restore its soul, and return politics to its rightful place—as a service to the people.

Thank you, and may our work ahead be worthy of the hopes our people place in us.

Long live our party. Long live our democracy. Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola