African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, as the Interim National Secretary of the party, describing it as an attempted hijack of the party’s structure and democratic ideals.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Musa Isa Matara, declared that neither the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC), state chairmen, youth leaders, nor elected national officers were consulted before Aregbesola’s appointment was announced.
“We are not opposed to coalitions or genuine reforms,” Matara stated. “But we stand firmly against any hijack, imposition, or so-called revolutionary speeches that disguise elitist intentions beneath poetic language. ADC stakeholders — including women and youth wings — completely reject this attempted takeover.”
The party emphasised that any change in its leadership must follow due process through a legitimate, constitutionally-backed National Convention or NEC resolution. Matara insisted that until such steps are taken, no individual or group has the moral or legal right to speak for the ADC at the national level.
He further described claims that the ADC is now the “platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group” as misleading and undemocratic, stressing that millions of ADC members have not been properly consulted or carried along. He warned that the party still battles unresolved legal crises from the 2023 general elections, and any coalition formed on “shaky legal grounds” is irresponsible and risks destroying the party’s integrity.
“We caution those trooping into the ADC under this chaotic coalition to tread carefully,” Matara warned. “Some individuals are trying to sell out the soul of our party for personal gain. The ADC is not for sale — it belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers.”
