The South East Coalition For Good Governance (SECG) has asked chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition to immediately dump the party and align with the Labour Party (LP) ahead of the 2027 general election.
In a statement issued in Enugu and sent to INNONEWS, the group said the call became imperative following what it described as mounting institutional pressures against the ADC, warning that the party may not be allowed to participate fully in the next electoral cycle.
The statement, signed by Donatus Ibe, president of SECG, and Don Ucheoma, secretary, urged opposition figures to act swiftly “in droves” to consolidate forces capable of unseating President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
SECG said the ADC leadership crisis had been worsened by the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to derecognise the party’s national executive led by David Mark as national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary.
INEC had said its action was based on unresolved disputes within the party, noting that it would only recognise leadership that emerges through processes consistent with the Electoral Act and its regulatory framework.
Reacting, David Mark rejected the commission’s position, describing it as unjust and a dangerous signal for Nigeria’s democracy, while maintaining that due process was followed in constituting the party’s leadership.
However, SECG alleged that the issue transcends internal party disputes, claiming that the ADC is “up against anti-democratic forces within the presidency and its allies,” rather than a neutral electoral body.
The group said it was “clear that the APC and President Tinubu are panicking” and would “leave no stone unturned to ensure that ADC, with its galaxy of political actors, does not appear on the ballot against them in 2027.”
According to SECG, the alleged alignment between the presidency, INEC and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reflects a broader strategy to arm-twist democratic institutions ahead of the elections.
It warned that under such circumstances, ADC risks being shut out of legitimate participation, insisting that remaining within the party could amount to political miscalculation for opposition leaders.
SECG said the most viable option is an immediate realignment with the Labour Party, arguing that the LP remains stable, widely accepted, and free from the kind of institutional pressures currently confronting ADC.
The group added that the LP’s outing in the 2023 elections — including wins in 12 states in the presidential poll, the Abia governorship, and several seats in the national assembly — coupled with its backing by organised labour, makes it a formidable platform to challenge and potentially unseat the APC-led government in 2027.
