Presidency Rejects ADC Allegations of APC Plot to Destabilize Opposition and Secure Tinubu’s 2027 Unopposed Candidacy

Bayo Onanuga dismisses ADC claims of APC interference. Learn why the Presidency says ADC internal leadership crises have nothing to do with President Tinubu.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 4:30 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from LEADERSHIP

Presidency Denounces Allegations of Interference in Opposition Affairs

The executive arm of the Nigerian government has moved to suppress claims that the ruling All Progressives Congress is actively working to dismantle the African Democratic Congress. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, stated that the accusations of a state sponsored plot to destabilize the ADC are entirely without merit. According to Onanuga, the issues currently plaguing the opposition party are purely internal matters, and he urged the organization to settle its domestic grievances rather than projecting blame onto President Bola Tinubu or the ruling party.

The Struggle for Control Over ADC National Leadership

At the heart of the dispute is a contentious battle over who holds the legitimate authority to lead the ADC. The party has alleged that influential figures within the APC are pressuring the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognize Nafiu Bala Gombe as the National Chairman. The ADC leadership maintains that Gombe has been expelled and that the party remains under the guidance of Senator David Mark, following a convention in July 2025. This struggle for the party's machinery has become a focal point for fears regarding the transparency of the upcoming 2027 electoral cycle.

Claims of a Strategic Move Toward a Sole Presidential Candidate

The African Democratic Congress has framed these leadership challenges as part of a much larger and more sinister political strategy. Through a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, the party suggested that the ruling administration is attempting to weaken all viable opposition to ensure President Tinubu emerges as the only serious contender in the next general election. By allegedly attempting to impose leadership on rival parties, the ADC argues that the APC is seeking to create a political monopoly that would effectively bypass the competitive nature of Nigeria’s democratic process.