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…Says APC days are numbered
From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State has said that the trial of the former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Chika Malami (SAN), would not affect its chances in 2027.
This was disclosed by the Publicity Secretary of ADC in the state, Mallam Habibu Abubakar Sambo in an interview with Daily Sun.
Excerpts:
Since the adoption of African Democratic Congress (ADC) as main opposition party in Nigeria, what has been your experience in Kebbi State?
Since the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as the main opposition party in Nigeria, our experience in Kebbi has been both encouraging and genuinely convincing that APC days are numbered. I believe you are aware of the fact that we inaugurated our state and local government structure on 23rd of December last year, and since then we have been witnessing remarkable growth in membership, structure and public confidence. The most fascinating thing is that, the growth of our party has neither been materially driven nor through intimidation. It has been purely organic and people’s driven oriented, from urban centres to rural communities, citizens especially youths and women are embracing ADC as a credible political party, built on integrity, internal democracy and people centred governance.
ADC today has become a convergence point for progressive minds from different political backgrounds who are united by a shared desire for good governance, accountability and inclusive development. The feedback from communities has been clear, that people are tired of APC’s recycled promises and are ready to support a party that listens, engages and offers practical solutions to Nigeria’s myriad problems and challenges.
Your party is having internal crisis which led to factionalisation of ADC in Kebbi State. How is the leadership of the party resolving the issue?
There is no internal crisis within the ADC in Kebbi State. What you described as ‘factionalisation’ is in reality the activities of a group that is unknown, unrecognised, and illegal as far as the party is concerned. ADC is a party governed by a clear constitution, defined structures, and lawful leadership hierarchy. In Kebbi State, the party was properly constituted and has a nationally recognised State’s Executive Committee, recognised by INEC and were duly inaugurated and operating in line with the directives of the National Working Committee (NWC). Any individual or group operating outside this framework, is simply not an ADC member regardless of the claims they make in the media. We believed they are sponsored elements hired to cause confusion and they cannot. Oh yes, let me not forget that they are parading themselves with one Order obtained from one state High Court that we don’t know how they came about it. Constitutionally, if you are taking a political party to court, INEC must be part of the respondents, and INEC being a federal institution, state High Courts do not have the jurisdiction to entertain such issue, only Federal High Courts can. Let me emphasise here that the party does not recognise, engage, or negotiate with faceless groups who neither emerged through constitutionally prescribed processes nor received endorsement from the party’s national leadership. You cannot factionalise what you are not legally part of.
Besides that, the leadership of the ADC both at the state and national levels remains focused on strengthening the party. Where misunderstandings arise among genuine members, the party has established mechanisms for dialogue and resolution. But illegality cannot be dignified as a crisis. Our attention in Kebbi State is firmly on party building, grassroots expansion across the 21 local governments, and preparing the ADC as a credible governing alternative. The so-called faction exists only in imagination and headlines, but institutionally and constitutionally, ADC in Kebbi State is one, united, and stable.
2027 general elections are drawing closer. Do you think your party could wrestle power from the ruling party in the state?
Yes, absolutely. The failure of APC- led government at all levels is audible to even the deaf and visible to the visually impaired. As such, we are confident that the ADC has both the capacity and the momentum to wrestle power from the ruling party in Kebbi State in the 2027 general elections. The confidence is not built on wishful thinking, but on verifiable realities on the ground. Today in Kebbi, ADC is the topic of discussion everywhere you go and APC- led government has been the one campaigning for us long ago before this time through their actions and inactions.
Is your party willing to work with other opposition parties in order to defeat the ruling party, APC in the 2027 general elections?
Yes indeed, the ADC is a coalition of political parties that’s open, willing, and strategically committed to working with other genuine opposition parties to defeat the ruling APC in the 2027 general elections. Nigeria’s democracy is at a critical stage and this moment calls for unity of purpose over individual party interests. The ADC believes that no single opposition party can effectively rescue Nigerians from APC. The same coalition that brought APC to power is the same coalition that is going to remove it. Our party has consistently demonstrated openness to dialogue, collaboration and strategic alliances, provided such engagements are principle-driven and anchored on the will of the people, not personal ambitions. Any alliance must reflect internal democracy, mutual respect, and a clear agenda for rescuing Kebbi State and Nigeria at large from poor governance. And the difference between our coalition in ADC and that of APC of 2015 is that our party is not desperate for power, we are prepared for it. We are in a collaboration that strengthens the collective objective of liberating the people from misrule. We will not hesitate to work with like-minded opposition parties. In 2027, the choice before Nigerians, especially the people of Kebbi State, will be between continuity of failure in governance and good governance.
How is the trial of the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Chika Malami (SAN) affecting your party winning strategies?
We believe the trial itself is nothing but political persecution and witch-hunt that’s aimed at weakening the ADC at both local and national level. But if they think or feel that the trial will weaken us as a party, I will like to remind them of a lecture delivered by a prominent essayist and great American transcendentalist, Ralph Waldo Emerson which he delivered back in 1871 where he said, ‘If a man can write a better book, or sing a better song , or preach a better sermon or can make a better mouse trap than his neighbour, even if he builds his house in the woods , the world will make a beaten path to his door.’ And it is on this note that I will say that, if a man can be a better leader , or a better administrator, or a better governor , or has the ability to uplift people from the dark dungeons of poverty and bad governance to the sunlit path of good governance and prosperity, even if he is politically persecuted or jailed , the people of Kebbi State will vote for him and make him their Governor even in absentia. It is not impossible; Abia state did it for Governor Theodore Orji.
In which sector do your party agree the Kebbi State Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris have really performed very well and which sectors does your party want him to buckle up on?
As a party, we believe the government of Kauran Gwandu has failed in every aspect. The healthcare sector is in comatose, education which we thought will be uplifted under him being a former class room teacher is unfortunately in a sorry state. Insecurity has worsened under his watch, portable drinking water has become a story of the past, infrastructure is not visible and that’s why he wants his face to be visible. Today, if you look at Birnin Kebbi, his posters are competing with the people of Birnin Kebbi in terms of population, that’s failure in totality.
Are your party’s members ready to sacrifices for the ADC victory or would they align with the ruling party?
Our members are fully committed and willing to make the necessary sacrifices to secure victory for the party and that’s evident in the series of activities we have so far carried out. They sacrificed their time, energy and even resources. In spite of the hurdles of intimidation placed on their way by the ruling party, some of which include harassment and imprisonment they remain focused and resolute. Our members are not greedy politicians who shift allegiance at the sight of temporary advantage, they are ideologically grounded, disciplined, and driven by conviction, not convenience. What distinguishes the ADC from other parties is that our members did not join the party because of access to state power or patronage. They joined because they believe in the values, vision, and reformist agenda of the party. That is why, even in the absence of government control, our structures across the 21 local governments remain active, resilient, and growing stronger. While it is common in Nigerian politics for some individuals to align with the ruling party for personal gain, the ADC in Kebbi State has consistently proven that principle outweighs opportunism. Our members understand that meaningful political change requires patience, sacrifice, and collective effort, and they are prepared to pay that price. Therefore, we believe the commitment of our members is not in doubt. They are aligned with the party’s vision, united in purpose, and determined to see the ADC succeed.
Don’t you think the rate at which various organisations, associations and socio- political groups are endorsing APC and its government in Kebbi State is a serious threat to ADC and other opposition parties ahead of 2027 general elections?
Well, except there are two Kebbi States in Nigeria. The Kebbi State whose capital is in Birnin Kebbi does not reflect the picture being painted of widespread endorsements of the APC by various organisations, associations, and socio-political groups. What we have seen in reality is not a mass movement of the people, but a recycling of the same familiar faces, small self-appointed groups and individuals who routinely surface whenever there is access to government patronage. If by endorsements you mean organised clusters of politically greedy individuals parading themselves as associations in order to curry favour and secure personal benefits, then yes, that exists and it is not new to Nigerian politics. But you know such endorsements do not translate to popular support, nor do they pose any serious threat to our party. The true strength of a political party is measured at the polling units, wards, and communities, not in hotel halls or press statements sponsored by power. And on the ground across Kebbi State, the reality is that many citizens are disenchanted, struggling, and quietly yearning for change. History has shown repeatedly that elite endorsements do not win elections, the people do. PDP had all the elites’ endorsements in 2013-2014, but you know what happened to it in 2015. And even the ongoing elites’ defections to APC, you will see, would lead to the party’s explosion and I pray we shall live to witness it. The growing acceptance of the ADC across the 21 local government areas is driven by ordinary Kebbi people who feel neglected and unheard, not by those seeking transactional relationships with government. So, rather than being threatened, we see these so-called endorsements as a sign of panic and insecurity within the ruling party. While they focus on staged declarations, the ADC is investing in grassroots mobilisation, issue-based engagement, and building trust with the people. In 2027, the election will not be decided by loud endorsements, but by the silent, but powerful verdict of the ballot and that is where the ADC is firmly positioned.
