The National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has assured that the party, if given the chance, will prioritise the well-being of Nigerians.
Aregbesola stated this on Saturday in Lagos after receiving defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Labour Party (LP) into the party.
The decampees included former Chairmen of Lagos PDP, Chief Muritala Ashorobi, Captain Tunji Shelley, PDP Vice Chairman (Lagos Central), Tai Benedict, Chief Niyi Adams, former Lagos PDP Youth Leader, among others.
Aregbesola received the defectors in company of Sen. Kolawole Ogunwale, Mr George Ashiru, the Lagos State ADC Chairman, among other chieftains from other states and Lagos.
The ADC National Secretary stated that the country is passing through a season of hardship and uncertainty under the current leadership, hence, the need to rise above partisanship and chart a new course.
The former governor of Osun State added that the people are the centre of politics and governance, warning that any government that fails to make their welfare and wellbeing the basis will lose relevance.
He said, “The people are the centre of politics
and the government. Any government, whether democratic, military, authoritarian, monarchical, or by whatever definition, that does not make their welfare and wellbeing the basis of governance, will soon lose relevance and die.
“There is a limit to which the people can be squeezed and pushed before something
eventually gives.”
Aregbesola stated that Nigeria’s future lies in giving voice and power to the youth, adding that ADC’s constitution boldly affirms the place of youth and women in leadership.
He said, “ADC constitution boldly affirms the place of youth and women in leadership. This
is not tokenism, but a recognition that Nigeria’s future lies in giving voice, space, and power to those who have long been underrepresented.
“The ADC’s constitution allocates 35% representation each for women and youth. Since these demographics overlap, their combined representation will be no less than 50%. This structure makes the ADC “unquestionably, the party of the youth”.
“We are equally committed to internal democracy where every member’s voice matters and every vote counts. We are not a party owned or financed by one individual, but a collective of patriotic citizens coming together as equals to salvage a nation fast sliding into a precipice.”
Aregbesola told the defectors that the task is to rescue the country and build a new Nigeria that the yet unborn will be proud to inherit.
“The task before us is clear: we must rescue this beautiful country from the path of destruction and build a
new Nigeria—a nation our children will be proud to inherit.
“ADC’s intervention is an urgent and absolutely necessary mission to save the nation. The ADC’s strategy is to build from the ground up and avoid conflict.”
Aregbesola advised party members to avoid nonproductive engagement and focus on building the party from bottom up.
“I appeal to us all to diligently face our task of building the party from bottom up and sell our ideas to the people. We should avoid the distraction of nonproductive engagement of debates and strife with the agents of the dying dinosaurs”, he added.
In his remarks, Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said the ADC remained a movement whose chances remained very bright.
Abubakar, who was represented by Prof. Ola Olateju, a professor of Political Science at the Achievers University, Owo, Ondo State, said
“ADC, to us, is not a political party. It is a movement, a movement of the Nigerians for a better Nigeria”.
Sodiq Yusuf is a trained media practitioner and journalist with considerable years of experience in print, broadcast, and digital journalism. His interests cover a wide range of causes in politics, governance, sports, community development, and good governance.
