2027: ADC accuses FG of plot to destabilise opposition coalition

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that the Federal Government is plotting to undermine the growing coalition of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement on Monday, the party accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of resorting to intimidation and coercion in a bid to weaken its rising influence as a credible opposition force.

Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Interim National Publicity Secretary and spokesperson for the opposition coalition, signed the statement, which claimed that some former ADC state chairmen and members of the party’s executive committees in the North-East and North-West were recently invited to a secret meeting with senior government officials.

The party alleged that the meeting had nothing to do with national security or peacebuilding, but was instead part of a plot to pressure and manipulate key opposition figures.

“We have credible intelligence that the purpose of this meeting was not national security. It was a calculated move to intimidate and co-opt these individuals into a manufactured scheme against the opposition coalition,” Abdullahi said. “This is not politics. This is sabotage.”

Describing the reported development as a direct threat to multiparty democracy, the ADC warned that such tactics could push Nigeria dangerously close to becoming a one-party state.

The party linked the alleged government manoeuvres to its recent political activities — particularly the July 1 Coalition Declaration and the formal adoption of the ADC as the coalition’s political platform on July 2 — which it said had unsettled the ruling APC.

“The July 1 Declaration and the unveiling of the ADC as the coalition’s platform on July 2 have clearly rattled the ruling party. The Tinubu administration, having lost the people’s trust, is now afraid of a united and credible opposition,” the statement said.

“Rather than retrace its steps and address the suffering of Nigerians, it has returned to its familiar playbook of destabilising the opposition.”

The ADC called on President Bola Tinubu to rein in his appointees and demonstrate his commitment to democratic principles. It urged the president to emulate former President Goodluck Jonathan’s tolerance of opposition parties, which allowed the APC to flourish and ultimately win power in 2015.

“If the Jonathan administration had been this intolerant and subversive, the APC would never have come to power and President Tinubu would not be in office today,” the party stated.

Reaffirming its resolve, the ADC said the opposition coalition is not about any one party or individual, but a national movement to rescue Nigeria from bad governance.

“This movement belongs to every Nigerian who is tired of deception, hardship, and misrule. We will not allow a handful of desperate men to drag Nigeria into a one-party dictatorship,” the statement continued.

“It is our patriotic duty to resist any anti-democratic actions with every lawful and democratic means available to us.”

The ADC urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and reject any attempt to erode the country’s democratic values, stressing that the coalition is committed to transparent governance, justice, and accountable leadership.

The allegation comes amid intensifying political jostling as the 2027 elections draw nearer, with the ADC positioning itself as a rallying point for opposition forces across the country.