The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as an unserious alternative ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that the PDP remains the leading opposition force in Nigeria.
Speaking on Wednesday at the Conference of PDP Founding Fathers and Stakeholders held in Abuja with the theme “Reclaiming Our Legacy, Renewing Our Collective Vision,” BoT secretary, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said any viable coalition must be anchored by the PDP.
He said: “What we are against is a coalition that cannot work. We are saying that PDP is the leading opposition party.
“Any such thing should be under the leadership of our party. That is what Nigerians want to hear. And that is the difference in language.”
He mocked recent moves by some opposition politicians to adopt the ADC as their platform for 2027, describing the effort as a legal and structural mess.
Makarfi revealed that he had obtained certified documents of the ADC’s leadership structure in his state, showing that the current executives’ tenure runs until May 2026, casting doubt on the legitimacy of any parallel arrangement.
“If somebody has given you structure now, which structure? You see the legal mess people are walking into,” he said.
The former Kaduna governor also expressed optimism that PDP defectors would return after the party holds a successful national convention and elects new national officers.
His words: “They are our friends, they will come back. The real issue we had was with the office of the national secretary, and we’re resolving that. But the ADC crisis involves the entire structure nationwide.”
According to him, the PDP is not averse to building a coalition but warned that any such alliance must recognise PDP’s leadership role.
“Not only will an overwhelming majority return, we will also get other people from other parties that will come and join the PDP,” he added.