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From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Gombe State has launched a statewide transition and membership drive, setting an ambitious target of enrolling over 500,000 members in the coming months. The initiative was inaugurated on Friday night in Gombe with assurances of unity and renewed grassroots mobilization.
The State Leader of the ADC, Senator Abdullahi Idris Umar, a former Minister of Transport, described the party as “one united family” under the leadership of Alhaji Auwal Barde, the state chairman. According to him, the party had resolved its internal disagreements in 2024, a decision later affirmed by the national executive committee and recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said: “All the state and local government executives are solidly behind the leadership in Gombe. The ADC has moved from being a small party to a formidable force that cuts across political backgrounds. Our membership reflects a coalition of leaders and followers from PDP, APC, Labour Party, NNPP, and other platforms, which gives us strength and uniqueness.”
To drive this expansion, the party constituted a 30-member committee headed by former Deputy Governor of Gombe State, Lazarus John Yoriyo, with retired Air Vice Marshal Shehu Abubakar as deputy chairman and Dr Ahmed Gana as secretary. Umar said the composition of the committee was deliberate, drawing from “influential and highly experienced individuals across the political spectrum”.
Yoriyo, in his remarks, emphasized that the exercise would not be limited to party registration but would also push for wider voter participation through Permanent Voter Card (PVC) acquisition.
“When you say you are mobilising people, it is not only about ADC membership but also PVC registration. Even those who don’t want to belong to a party must be encouraged to get their PVCs if they want to exercise their rights,” Yoriyo explained. He stressed that political participation remained voluntary, but the committee would engage every ward and community to raise awareness.
The committee, which has the flexibility to co-opt additional members as needed, is expected to traverse all 11 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the state. According to the state chairman of the party, Barde, the move signals ADC’s determination to challenge the dominance of bigger parties and position itself as a credible alternative ahead of future elections.
