Coalition: Presidential Ticket Won’t Divide ADC — Momodu—-Chief Dele Momodu, the publisher of Ovation magazine, has stated that opposition politicians who have taken over the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have agreed in principle that internal struggles for power will not destroy the coalition.

The launch of the coalition led by former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, was attended by many top politicians including the 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labour Peter Obi, former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, Former Senate President, David Mark, former National Chairman of the ruling APC, John Odigie-Oyegun, former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, Abubakar Malami and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Others include former Governor of Sokoto, Aminu Tambuwal, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, Dino Melaye, Elisha Abbo, and many other politicians who joined the coalition from the PDP, the APC and LP.

Speaking during the show, Momodu said the coalition politicians are placing Nigeria above personal interests.

Asked if the political positions had already been shared among top members of the coalition, the publisher responded negatively, adding that coalition members already knew what would likely happen, but they wouldn’t let it divide them.

“I believe that, in principle, they know what is likely to happen, and they’ve decided they’ve promised that they will not allow that to divide them, right. That for me is joyful. I’m excited,” he said.

He said some of the politicians in the ADC are not in the party to grab power.

Meanwhile, Dumebi Kachikwu, the 2023 Presidential candidate of the ADC, has kicked against the adoption of his party as a coalition platform by opposition politicians.

He described the opposition figures taking over the ADC as ‘enemies of Nigeria.’

2027: Mark Unveils ADC, Says Coalition Beyond Gaining Political Power—-The interim National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Sen. David Mark, on Wednesday officially unveiled the party as the political platform for National Coalition of Political Opposition Movement.

Mark, while speaking at the occasion in Abuja, said that the coalition goes beyond gaining political power in 2027.

According to him, the party is determined to offer Nigerians a path to security, prosperity, peace and progress.

The former senate president also said that the coalition was for all Nigerians, irrespective of their age, social and economic status.

He described the coalition as a concerted effort to rebuild the pillars of Nigeria’s democracy and prevent Nigeria’s descent into one-party state.

Mark stated that the coalition, after extensive deliberations and discussions over several months, decided to adopt ADC as the vehicle for what he described as a historic journey.

“Having adopted ADC, we commit ourselves to building and transforming it into a strong political party, not merely as another electoral vehicle but as a fortress and platform of our revived democracy.

“It will be the harbinger of democracy where members of the party will reign supreme; a party that obeys its rules and constitution in the best democratic traditions.

“It will be a party of equal stakeholders, equal joiners and equal owners. It is the great house into which all patriots are invited.

“It will be a party that recognises the experience of the old and the energy of the youth. To all Nigerians, we say here is the new big tent into which all patriots are invited,” he said.

Mark described the coalition arrangement as a bold and new path of unity over division, service over slogans, action over excuses, compassion over inhumanity, transparency over opacity, inclusion over nepotism, performance over empty promises, rule of law over impunity and justice over inequity.

“Our mission transcends any electoral calendar.

“It is a commitment to rebuild the guardrails of our democracy, to anchor power once again in the will of the people and to hand to our children a nation worthy of their talents and their dreams,” he added.

The former senate president said that the adoption of ADC marked the beginning of what they believed would be a long, difficult and tedious journey.

“However, it is a journey that we are prepared to undertake, united in our collective belief that no price or sacrifice is too high in the service of our fatherland,” he said.

He said that all of them remained firmly united under the ADC banner for the 2027 general elections and beyond.

Earlier in his remarks, the party’s immediate past National Chairman, Raph Nwosu, said that the event was not seeking power, but moving Nigeria to global reckoning.

“ADC has always been about building Nigeria and African continent,” he said.

Nwosu, who recalled that the journey had started about 18 months ago, said that the party’s NWC members decided to step down for Mark as the interim national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as the protem National Secretary.

“With Mark, we all decided to resign so that he can take us to the villa. We also approved Aregbesola as the national secretary of the party.

“Look at the two of them; when you see their commitments to this country, you will see that it is a new beginning,” he said.

Nwosu assured Mark and the coalition leaders of his team’s support, maintaining that anyone speaking against the coalition arrangement was not part of ADC.

NAN reports that highlight of the event was the presentation of ADC membership cards to Mark and Aregbesola.

Some of the opposition figures at the occasion included: former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the 2-23 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, Datti Baba-Ahmed and a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.

Others were former Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, former Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, former Gov. Aminu Tambuwa of Sokoto State, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, former Gov. Liyel Imoke of Cross River and former Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi.

Former APC National Chairman, John Oyegun, former Gov. Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Sen. Tunde Ogbeha, former Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, former Gov. Emeka Ihedeoha (Imo) and former Gov. Oserheimen Osunbor (Edo) were also in attendance.

Others included former Chairman of APGA, Victor Umeh, Former Gov. Celestine Omehia (Rivers), former Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara), former Gov. Bindow Jibrilla (Adamawa), former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, Sen. Aishatu Binani and Chief Dele Momodu.

Sen. Dino Melaiye, former Deputy Governor of Ekiti, Prof. Olushola Eleka and Sen. Ishaku Abbo also graced the occasion.