By Jane Okafor, Abuja
There appears to be a thickening of the plots by the coalition forces to unhorse both President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress(APC) from power in 2027 as a former Senate President, Senator David Bonaventure Mark, and the hitherto staunch ally of Tinubu – turned arch – political foe, Rauf Aregbesola, have emerged as the interim Chairman and Secretary, respectively, of the African Democratic Congress(ADC).
The Daily Crucible learnt that Mark and Aregbesola, a former governor of Osun State, were appointed as Interim Chairman and Scribe, respectively, of the ADC on Tuesday night shortly after Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Mark had earlier appealed to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders to join the coalition train.
Prominent Nigerian politicians championing the coalition movement include Vice President Atiku Abubakar; Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi; former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai; former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, among others.
They had been deliberating on a suitable platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next general elections in 2027.
However, the ADC, The Daily Crucible learnt on Tuesday, is the political vehicle being positioned against President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC ahead of the Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Multiple sources close to the meeting on Tuesday night in Abuja where Mark and Aregbesola got their new roles, said the opposition coalition group unanimously settled for Mark and Aregbesola. The two – the newly constituted leadership, will be formally unveiled in Abuja on Wednesday, July 2, the sources added.
Kola Ologbondiyan, a former aide to the ex-Senate President and former PDP National Publicity Secretary, confirmed the unfolding development in in a tweet he shared via his verified X account.
“African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been adopted as the political party for the coalition. The party has elected Sen. David Mark as the Interim National chairman and Ogbeni Raud Aregbesola as the interim National Secretary.”
Sources said Aregbesola, in an acceptance speech as the interim National Secretary, has articulated his vision for the ADC, emphasizing the need for the party to be “grounded in ideology, principle, and people-centred struggle.”
It was also gathered that as Aregbesola pledged to build a party with a clear ideological compass, dedicated to “democratic values, rule of law, social justice, accountability, transparency and national development.”
Areggesola said: “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 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.”
