…Politicians from other parties will still defect to PDP before 2027 — Saraki
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially commenced a nationwide engagement tour, aimed at forging a formidable opposition coalition ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general election.
At a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, ADC National Chairman Ralph Nwosu stressed the urgency of Nigeria’s deteriorating political and socio-economic conditions.
He said, “There is an urgent need to rescue Nigeria from the grips of nepotism, hunger, impunity, corruption, insecurity, insurgency, and poor governance. We cannot afford to treat this as business as usual. This is a national emergency.”
From May 29 to June 6, 2025, all 36 state capitals will host coordinated convergence events bringing together political parties, civil society groups, labour unions, and well-meaning patriots.
According to Nwosu, these gatherings “follow a resolution of the National Executive Committee and is backed by the National Working Committee.”
The purpose is to unify coalition partners and build a cohesive movement.
The ADC’s coalition effort comes amid rising political momentum behind an emerging alliance that includes former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Nwosu emphasised the need to shift the coalition mission from Abuja’s political center to the grassroots.
“The idea is to take the vision, mission, and rescue agenda of ADC and its partners to the people, where it truly belongs. It is no longer a project centered in Abuja. The time has come for Nigerians to own this mission,” he said.
Nwosu explained that ADC is developing “a framework for bottom-up communication, ensuring our message resonates deeply with every Nigerian, regardless of geography.”
The ADC chairman insisted that the coalition is “not top-down.”
He called on every member, “from national to ward level,” to fully embrace that “ADC is co-owned by the coalition.
Nwosu described it as introducing “a new paradigm: resource development and mobilization from the grassroots up,” aimed at providing equitable access to tools and platforms to empower citizens nationwide.
He added that the party intends to decentralise its coalition mission and shift ownership of the movement to the grassroots level.
“The idea is to take the vision, mission, and rescue agenda of ADC and its partners to the people, where it truly belongs. It is no longer a project centered in Abuja. The time has come for Nigerians to own this mission,” Nwosu stated.
Describing the coalition as inclusive and collaborative, Nwosu emphasized that members across all levels must embrace a shared identity.
“This coalition is not top-down. Every member, from national to ward level, should now be fully adjusted to the tradition that ADC is co-owned by the coalition. This is a shared journey,” he said.
He also called on party members and partners to embody the values of openness, compassion, and solidarity, which he described as core to the ADC’s political culture.
Speaking further on the objectives of the convergence, Nwosu explained that the events are aimed at harmonizing party messaging and leadership direction from the grassroots to the national level.
“We are developing a framework for bottom-up communication, ensuring our message resonates deeply with every Nigerian, regardless of geography,” he said.
He revealed that part of the program includes grassroots-driven resource mobilisation, designed to equip citizens with the tools necessary to actively participate in nation-building.
“The program also introduces a new paradigm: resource development and mobilization from the grassroots up. According to party insiders, this structure is designed to foster equitable access to tools and platforms that will empower citizens at every level,” he said.
Nwosu noted that the decision to activate the state-level engagements was reached during an emergency session at the party’s Global Campus National Headquarters in Abuja. At that meeting, he stressed the urgency of Nigeria’s deteriorating state and the need for urgent collective political intervention.
Meanwhile, Former Senate President and Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Reconciliation Committee, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has declared that more politicians from rival political parties will join the PDP ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Ilorin during a visit to his Ajikobi Ward in Ilorin West Local Government Area of Kwara State, Saraki expressed optimism about the party’s chances, despite ongoing defecttions.
He said, “Some members of the party (PDP) might still defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). I’m also confident that politicians from other political parties might also join the PDP.”
“The only viable opposition party is PDP and yes, there are challenges and I have taken it upon myself to do my best. I am seeing responses from our colleagues who are also ready to settle our differences.”
The former Kwara State governor, who revalidated his PDP membership during the visit, emphasised that the party remains the only viable opposition capable of challenging the ruling APC in 2027.
Saraki disclosed that the party has already started internal reconciliation processes and is planning strategic meetings to strengthen its structure.
“We were able to do our NEC meeting. We have scheduled another meeting for the end of this month. Between now and then, we will do a lot of legwork,” he stated.
According to him, the PDP has time on its side to reorganise ahead of the 2027 elections.
Saraki noted that the mood at the grassroots level is shifting in favour of the PDP, citing the number of new members registering and returning to the party.
“Like today, I received new members to the party at the state level. Once there is stability at the top, I’m sure we will begin to see a better future for PDP. And I thank Nigerians for being patient with the leaders of the party,” he said.
He called on members nationwide to remain focused and assured them that the party leadership is taking active steps to reposition itself.
“I want to use this opportunity to reassure our members across the country that we are doing our best to rescue the party’s situation. We are confident that we will tackle the situation. We are committed to it,” Saraki declared.
Saraki further stressed the importance of a strong opposition noting that, “Because we are all committed to fledging democracy and fledging democracy means a vibrant opposition. We all have to make personal and group sacrifices for the interest of the country.”
Commenting on the PDP’s prospects in Kwara State, Saraki pointed to widespread discontent over insecurity, unemployment, and governance failures.
“People are coming out to register for the party. People are tired of the state of affairs in the state. New members are coming out to join the party,” he explained.
He added, “At the same time, all our old members are very active. The members we have seen are very impressive. I think the factors that people are going through in the state; the insecurity, unemployment, hunger and lack of presence of governance. So we are confident that the PDP will bounce back in 2027.”
Reaffirming his belief in the PDP’s grassroots strength, saraki reiterated, “People are coming out to be associated with PDP, they are ready to want people to know that they’re PDP members. That also tells us at the grassroots that people are still in love with our party.”
“Although we are having our challenges at the national level, we are confident now that once we can sort ourselves out at the top of the leadership, as long as we settle down at the grassroots, everything will fall in place.”
