A former Senate President, Senator David Mark, and ex-Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, have been named as the Interim National Chairman and Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a newly revived political platform set to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
According to individuals who attended the late-night meeting in Abuja on Tuesday but asked not to be named, the appointment of Mark and Aregbesola was reached through a unanimous agreement among key opposition leaders present.
They noted that the decision was part of a broader effort to strengthen the coalition against the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
In addition to these appointments, former Minister of Sports, Bolaji Abdullahi, has been selected to serve as the interim National Publicity Secretary. The new leadership is expected to be officially presented to the public at an event in Abuja scheduled for Wednesday.
The current administration under President Tinubu has had a mixed record, with progress in some areas but persistent criticism from the opposition. Many leaders from other parties have openly accused the APC-led government of failing to deliver on its promises.
However, the opposition itself has not been without challenges. Parties such as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have all experienced internal conflicts, which have weakened their ability to compete as separate entities.
To address this, top political figures — including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, ex-Rivers Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai — joined forces to form a united front. Their meeting on March 20 in Abuja marked the beginning of the coalition.
Following months of discussions, sources confirmed that the group agreed to use the ADC as their official party platform.
