The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ibrahim Mani, has dismissed concerns that the party compromised its values to admit new members, stating that political parties are meant to be inclusive within the framework of constitutional guidelines.
Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast show, The Morning Brief, on Monday, Mani stressed that the ADC remains committed to establishing a strong and credible opposition in Nigeria by embracing new entrants ahead of the forthcoming general elections.
“A political party is an all-comers affair. You cannot categorise people who clearly have no criminal record because the constitutional requirement is that people who have been convicted by a competent court of law are forbidden from coming into political parties to contest elections. Or people who are underage or are not Nigerians,” Mani stated.
The clarification follows the recent dissolution of all party structures, as announced by former chairman Ralph Nwosu, to pave the way for new leadership capable of steering a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The decision has drawn widespread criticism from various quarters.
A coalition backed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar later declared the adoption of the ADC as its platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term in 2027.
As part of this move, former Senate President David Mark was named Interim National Chairman, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, and former Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi as Interim National Publicity Secretary.
Mani further noted that while political parties should not arbitrarily exclude individuals, the ADC remains committed to ensuring its membership aligns with the party’s vision of offering a credible alternative to the country’s dominant political forces.
“It doesn’t mean everybody comes in and at the end of the day they are able to achieve whatever political ambition they are coming with. What we are looking at is how to build a party that will be the face of the opposition movement in Nigeria. It’s going to take a lot of time and effort, but what alternative do you have?” he said.
Mani stressed the importance of fostering a coalition of individuals who believe in sustaining democracy through credible opposition, warning against the dangers of allowing the country to drift towards a one-party system.
“It’s better to build a party with people who believe in the fact that there should be a credible opposition in Nigeria than allow the country to drift to be a one-party state,” he added.
The ADC’s position comes as conversations around the health of Nigeria’s multiparty democracy continue, with analysts warning that the weakening of opposition parties could undermine checks and balances in governance.
Mani noted that the party is experiencing a massive influx of new members as Nigerians search for viable political alternatives ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“Taking over structures is a gradual thing, but a lot of it is evident. People are moving into the party in troops; there are clear indications of that,” Mani said.
He disclosed that the ADC had to re-host its official website three times in one week because of repeated crashes caused by the volume of Nigerians seeking to register online as party members.
“We had to host our website on three different occasions within the last week because it was crashing as a result of the influx of people wanting to register online as members of the party,” he explained.
Mani stressed that the ADC is working to build a party from the grassroots, focusing on inclusivity and engagement to establish itself as a credible alternative to the country’s dominant political forces.
“We are trying to build a new party bottom-up, trying to get people to key into it. Of course, Nigerians have been waiting to have an opportunity to have a party or an alternative to the current situation they are faced with,” he noted.
Highlighting the growing frustration in the country, Mani said Nigerians are yearning for positive change amidst widespread economic hardship.
“Knowing fully well things are not as they should be and there is a lot of suffering in the country, when people see a sign that something positive is likely going to happen, of course, they will gravitate towards such an opportunity. And that is exactly what we are experiencing in the ADC,” he added.
The remarks by the BoT chairman come at a time when opposition parties in Nigeria face increasing pressure to bolster their platforms and present viable governance alternatives. Analysts have cautioned that the absence of strong opposition could further erode public confidence in the democratic process.