South-West ADC Stands With Atiku Abubakar; Disowns Self-Appointed Leaders And Their Politically Motivated Publicity
The attention of the Southwest Elders Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been drawn to the publication in the Sunday Punch of November 1, 2026, alleging that Southwest ADC leaders have revolted against the presidential aspiration of His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
We consider the publication a misrepresentation of the political realities within the ADC in the Southwest and a calculated attempt by a handful of politically compromised individuals to project their personal grievances as the collective position of the region.
For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to make the following clarifications.
1. On the purported status of those parading themselves as Southwest ADC leaders
The attempt by these individuals to describe themselves as state chairmen of the ADC is misleading and unacceptable. The question of the legally recognised state chairmen has been the subject of judicial clarification, and the relevant court pronouncements have established the legal position regarding the recognised leadership of the party.
It is therefore particularly unfortunate that individuals whose claims to party leadership remain contested, with various cases concerning alleged imposition and the legitimacy of their positions still before competent courts, would assume the authority to speak on behalf of the ADC in the Southwest.
Political self-advertisement, newspaper publicity and the repeated assertion of disputed titles cannot confer legitimacy. We urge the National Leadership of the ADC and members of the public to distinguish between legally recognised party leadership and individuals seeking to manufacture political relevance through the media.
2. On the alleged failure to accommodate them through political arrangements
We are aware that amicable political solutions have been explored and adopted in resolving certain leadership disagreements in some states outside the Southwest. We recognise the importance of dialogue, reconciliation and internal party harmony.
However, the existence of such arrangements in other states does not establish a universal formula applicable to every geopolitical zone. Every zone has its peculiar political circumstances, historical experiences, organisational structures and legal considerations.
The Southwest cannot be expected to abandon its peculiarities or disregard established legal positions simply because a different political accommodation has been reached elsewhere. Reconciliation must be pursued within the framework of fairness, legality, internal democracy and respect for properly constituted party structures.
3. On the allegation of non-payment during their purported voluntary visit
Perhaps the most revealing aspect of the reported grievances is the complaint that these individuals were not given money during what has been described as a voluntary visit.
This allegation raises a fundamental question about the motivation behind their political engagement. Is their commitment to the ADC and its presidential project driven by ideology, service and the desire to rescue Nigeria, or by expectations of immediate financial gratification?
It is deeply troubling if a voluntary political engagement is now being evaluated primarily by the amount of money distributed to participants.
The impression created by this complaint is that, for this group, money is not merely an important consideration; it appears to be both their principal concern and their ultimate political objective.
The ADC must not become a platform where political loyalty is purchased, party leadership is negotiated through financial inducement and public service is reduced to personal economic opportunity.
4. On the ideological direction of the Southwest and our support for Atiku Abubakar
The Southwest is determined to return to the political values and traditions that distinguished the First and Second Republics: ideological commitment, intellectual engagement, political accountability, public service, purposeful leadership and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of the people.
Our political association with His Excellency, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is informed by the urgent need to rescue Nigeria from economic hardship, insecurity, institutional decay and the suffocating grip of political apparatchiks whose ideological bankruptcy and absence of developmental vision have become increasingly evident.
We are committed to a politics in which service to the people is the primary purpose of political participation, not the pursuit of appointments, financial rewards or control of party structures for personal advantage.
The Southwest has a proud political heritage that cannot be surrendered to political opportunists whose understanding of political leadership begins and ends with the acquisition of power and access to public resources.
5. On the genuine position of the ADC in the Southwest
For the avoidance of doubt, the reported position of these self-appointed individuals does not represent the collective position of the genuine ADC family in the Southwest.
The good people of the Southwest, including committed party stakeholders, elected political representatives, genuine party structures and numerous supporters of the ADC presidential project, remain firmly committed to the aspiration of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
We therefore call on the National Leadership of the ADC, party members across the country and the Nigerian public to disregard the attempt by this group to appropriate the voice of an entire geopolitical region for the advancement of their personal political interests.
6. Our unequivocal position on the 2027 presidential election
The Southwest Elders Committee of the ADC, the genuine and legally recognised state chairmen of the party, and properly elected candidates and stakeholders of the party stand firmly with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and His Excellency, Rotimi Amaechi, in the 2027 presidential project.
We are determined to mobilise the considerable political, intellectual, organisational and grassroots resources of the Southwest towards securing victory in 2027.
Our commitment is not dependent on financial inducements, political appointments or the convenience of a few individuals. It is rooted in our conviction that Nigeria requires a fundamental political and economic reorientation and a leadership capable of restoring hope, dignity and prosperity to its citizens.
The Southwest is not for sale, and its political destiny cannot be held hostage by a handful of self-appointed political entrepreneurs.
Our message is simple: the ADC in the Southwest is bigger than any individual or faction. Our mission is bigger than personal ambition, and the 2027 project is about the Nigerian people, not the financial expectations of a few politicians.
We remain resolute. We remain organised. And we remain committed to delivering the Southwest for Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in 2027.
SIGNED:
Alhaji Murtala Ashorobi
Southwest ADC Elders Committee Chairman
Senator Felix Ogunwale
Southwest ADC Presidential Campaign Council Adviser/Coordinator
Professor Ola Olateju
Southwest Elders Committtee Secretary/Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, ADC Presidential Campaign Council
Alhaji Yinka Olona
Oyo state ADC Chairman
For and on behalf of the genuine stakeholders and committed members of the ADC in the Southwest.
November 1, 2026
