ADC Youth Wing Rejects Opposition Coalition Backed by Atiku, Amaechi, El-Rufai, Others

The Youth Wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has firmly rejected the recently announced opposition coalition led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Senate President David Mark, and other prominent political figures.

The rejection was made public by Musa Matara, spokesperson for the youth wing, during a gathering on Thursday. He criticized the attempt by a faction of the party to align with long-standing political elites, whom he accused of having previously failed the country.

The controversy follows Wednesday’s declaration by a faction of the ADC, reportedly led by Raph Nwosu, which handed over the party’s leadership structure to the new coalition. At the event, David Mark was named interim chairman and Rauf Aregbesola was appointed secretary of the coalition, which aims to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 general election.

In his response, Matara dismissed the faction’s move as illegitimate and unacceptable to the party’s core members and youth base.

“The people trying to hijack the ADC are the same old politicians who ruined Nigeria. They have no ideology,” Matara said.
“The ADC is a party built on ideals. These leaders can join if they wish, but they will not be allowed to take over.”

He also debunked claims made by Raph Nwosu that the party’s executives had stepped down to make way for the coalition.

“Who appointed David Mark as interim chairman? Was it the National Executive Committee or the Working Committee? The process was undemocratic and unacceptable,” he added.

Matara stressed that the party remains intact and its youth wing will not accept any form of forced takeover.

Meanwhile, Dumebi Kachikwu, the ADC’s 2023 presidential candidate, also criticized the formation of the coalition. He described the installation of David Mark as interim national chairman as a “disservice to Nigerians” and claimed that the coalition’s true purpose is to return power to Atiku in 2027.

“This so-called coalition is not about reforming Nigeria. It’s about recycling power back to the same hands that failed us before,” Kachikwu said.

The internal rift highlights growing tensions within the ADC and casts doubt over the legitimacy of the opposition alliance as a credible alternative in the upcoming elections.