The founding National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ralph Nwosu says party leaders have voluntarily resigned to allow former Senate President David Mark and ex-Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola to take charge and fine-tune the party.
The founding  chairman made this announcement on Wednesday at the unveiling of the ADC as the platform for the 2027 opposition coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Speaking at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, Nwosu announced that the party’s current leadership had voluntarily stepped down to make way for the new arrangement.
“We all decided to resign so that Mark, Aregbesola and others can lead us to the Villa,” Nwosu said. “We also approved Mark as National Chairman and Aregbesola as the National Secretary of the party.”
Nwosu described the move as necessary to strengthen both the party and the country, praising the credentials of the new leaders.
“When you look at the two of them and their commitment to this country, you’ll see that this is a new beginning. They will reposition the party and Nigeria,” he said.
The ADC chairman insisted the coalition was not simply about gaining power but about elevating Nigeria’s international standing.
“The ADC has always been about the rejuvenation of Nigeria and Africa. This journey started about 18 months back, and we have had over 12 NEC meetings,” he explained.
“When we were consulted, we said we have also been consulting because we are a party that believes in coalition. A day like this shows that we are ready to sacrifice anything for Nigeria. We don’t have any doubt in the man, we all have decided to resign.”
The event brought together politicians from across party lines, including the 2023 presidential candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party.
Other notable attendees included Victor Umeh, National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance; Prince Uche Secondus, former National Chairman of the PDP; Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s 2023 Vice Presidential candidate; John Odigie-Oyegun, former National Chairman of the APC; and Mohammed Abubakar, former Inspector-General of Police.
The coalition also attracted several former governors, including Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Gabriel Suswam (Benue), Abdulfattah Ahmed (Kwara), Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (Sokoto), Oserheimen Osunbor (Edo), and Celestine Omehia (Rivers).
Former senior government officials were also present, including ex-Attorney General Abubakar Malami and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal.
The gathering included several senators and other political figures such as Dino Melaye, former Youth Minister Solomon Dalung, former Ekiti Deputy Governor Kolapo Olushola, media mogul Chief Dele Momodu, and Senators Enyinnaya Abaribe, Suleiman Nazif, Lee Maeba, and Alhaji Kashim Iman.
The coalition’s formation represents one of the most significant opposition movements since the 2023 elections, bringing together politicians from different parties and backgrounds under a single platform to contest the next presidential election.

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