2027: Controversy trails application to register ADA

No decision yet on party adoption – Atiku

• ADC national chairman disowns ADA

• Says coalition’s platform may be unveiled this week

Controversy is trailing the application of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as a political party. It is believed that the association is being promoted by the Nigeria National Coalition Group (NNCG).

In a letter dated June 19, the proposed party stated that it accompanied the application with the Constitution, logo, and minutes of the promoters as part of the conditions of INEC for party registration.

But former Vice President Atiku Abubakar disowned reports that he and other leaders in the NNCG had adopted ADA as the new platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in his reelection bid in the 2027 election.

Atiku’s Special Assistant on Digital Media Strategy, Demola Olarenwaju, explained that there were still ongoing consultations by the leaders of the NNCG, hence no decision has been finalized on the possible adoption of ADA.

Olarenwaju wrote on X: “A group is in the process of pursuing party registration, just like any other Nigerian, but they need to coordinate this with the coalition. ADA has not been adopted by the coalition, and when the time is right, the public will be informed about the appropriate choices and decisions. Just be patient with that.”

Similarly, the national chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Ralph Okey Nwosu, described the birth of ADA as fake, claiming that the issue of the platform to be adopted by the coalition has been settled long ago. He said the formal unveiling of the platform would be performed this week, based on the decision taken by all the stakeholders involved in the coalition.

He accused a Fifth Columnist of indulging in falsehood and propaganda about the intent of the coalition to form a broad-based formidable platform.

“What does All Democrats Alliance mean? You can see that it is fake! The coalition has already settled for what they want to do. But agents of darkness will continue with their misinformation to create some confusion,” he stated.

Okey Nwosu called on Nigerians to be wary of the antics of those dark forces bent on frustrating the determination of the coalition of opposition elements to engender a new vista ahead of the next elections.

He emphasised: “The coalition has long decided what they want to do and within this week, it will be unveiled to the Nigerian nation. There is no new party that is formation. The coalition has already decided on what they want to do. It is only an unintelligent bunch and agents of darkness that can take All Democratic Alliance.

“The concept is wrong, both in etymology and in different ways. So, there is no right-thinking person who is not an agent of government or agent of darkness who is part of the persons spreading that falsehood.

“The ADC national chairman categorically said: I have told you that ADA does not exist; it is fake; it is being propagated by the agents of government and agents of evil. The coalition has already selected their party and they are moving ahead with that. If some people plan to register a party, they can go ahead but they should stop using the name of the coalition that many people have toiled hard to propagate to this time,” he said.

“The commission should have over 200 such applications. So carrying the propaganda and misinformation makes the perpetrators of this look small and anti-people. So, they can go and stand on that queue and when INEC gets to that number, maybe 2035, they would consider their own registration.

“We have passed that stage. No opposition can afford to invest his time, and other resources to embark on a wild goose. The coalition has already decided and spread the word down to the local government and ward levels. A great mobilization is already in progress. The coalition has been formed. For all intents and purposes, the ADC is the real party for the coalition,” the ADC chairman said.

According to reports on Friday, the NNCG formally applied to INEC for the registration of ADA. The letter seeking the registration of ADA by INEC was signed by the association’s protem national chairman, Chief Akin A. Rickets, and protem national secretary, Abdullahi Elayo.

The letter read:

“We respectfully write to the Independent National Electoral Commission, requesting the registration of our association, the All Democratic Alliance, as a political party. This is a sequel to the decision taken by the Nigerian National Coalition Group to sponsor our association for full registration. The name of the party shall be All Democratic Alliance with ADA as our acronym and ‘Justice for All’ as our slogan.”

The coalition also submitted relevant documents, among them, the constitution of the proposed party, manifesto, logo, and minutes of its foundational meetings.

The letter explained that the symbol of a maize represents abundance, resilience, and sustenance—core ideals they hope to promote.

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“We have further attached our manifesto encompassing details of our party ideology and our constitution providing the legal framework that defines our identity, structures, and organisation,” it added.