The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, has described the governing party as the new bride, disclosing that several prominent members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) will join the governing party next week.
But in a counter reaction, the National Secretary of the ADC and former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, declared that the governing APC has failed to deliver on its promises to Nigerians and would be replaced by ADC in 2027.
In recent weeks, the APC has seen a wave of new entrants from opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The Governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, recently joined the party, while Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State is reportedly set to formalise his defection soon.
Speaking during a meeting with APC stakeholders in Jos, Plateau State, Yilwatda said: “Next week, I will be receiving some notable figures from the ADC. Some of those who had earlier defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ADC are now returning to the APC.”
The APC chairman added that many of the incoming members “have completed their medicals” and will be formally unveiled next week.
“In another two weeks, we will unveil yet another big figure who just finished his own medicals. He tried to unveil himself the day before on Saturday, and you may have seen it in the news. But officially, we’ll be receiving him soon,” Yilwatda continued.
Yilwatda described the APC as “the bride of the moment,” noting that more politicians — including senators, governors, and members of the National Assembly — were preparing to join the party.
“The beauty of the APC is that it welcomes everyone, regardless of when they join,” he said.
“You don’t have to be in the APC from the beginning to rise. I am a testimony to that. If you join today, you are a full member with full rights and privileges. That’s the spirit of our party’s constitution.”
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of the ADC, Aregbesola, has declared that the ADC has emerged as the credible alternative to rescue the country in 2027.
Speaking on Saturday in Ilorin, Kwara State capital during the official inauguration of the party’s new state secretariat, Aregbesola said the nation was suffering the consequences of leadership failure and policy inconsistencies under the current administration.
“Under the APC, governance has lost its essence and purpose. Hunger, insecurity and infrastructural decay have become the order of the day. Nigerians deserve better, and that is what the ADC stands to offer,” he said.
He accused the governing party of promoting political intolerance and undermining democratic space by harassing opposition members.
“If the APC were confident in its popularity, it wouldn’t resort to intimidation and fear,” he said.
The ADC national scribe added that his party was preparing strategically for the 2027 general election to ensure that “the will of the people prevails.”
Also speaking at the ceremony, former Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, described the unveiling as the beginning of a new political movement in Kwara.
“The ADC represents a new direction in our political trajectory. We are building a people-driven platform that will reflect the collective aspirations of Kwarans,” he said.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC and former Minister of Youth and Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, echoed similar sentiments, asserting that the PDP had become politically irrelevant.
“The PDP is a dead party waiting for its formal obituary. The ADC is now the only real opposition in Nigeria”, he said.
Abdullahi added that the party’s rising profile in Kwara within three months showed strong grassroots acceptance.
Seriki Adinoyi and Hammed Shittu
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