The three governors of Borno, Osun and Zamfara States had very little in common until the idea of a coalition opposition platform came into the picture. Now, they all have their political future in what they make of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition ahead of 2027 polls, LEO SOBECHI and NDJAVARA MUSA report.
Governors of Borno, Osun and Zamfara States – Prof. Babagana Zulum, Ademola Adeleke and Dr Dauda Lawal, in that order – are faced with similar political circumstances in the face of the recent adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a platform by a conglomeration of various political leaders.
For Zulum, who will be rounding off his second and final term in 2027, the plot to replace his benefactor and predecessor, Vice President Kashim Shettima, has brought him into the unfolding national political consciousness for the 2027 poll.
But the fact of the second term aspirations of Adeleke and his Zamfara State counterpart, Lawal, brings them even closer to the emerging electoral crossfire of strategies between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the rampaging ADC.
The energetic approach to membership recruitment by the newly re-engineered ADC has revived hopes that Nigeria could return to two strong contenders in the national polity.
Prior to the merger of political parties in 2013 to form the APC, Nigerians yearned for a situation where two strong national platforms, similar in size and spread, could provide the electorate with alternative viewpoints and policy choices to decide on.
APC reaped from that widespread hunger because at that time, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had become wanton and inebriated with power and impunity. However, instead of learning from its defeat at the 2015 general elections by the APC, the PDP leaders started jumping out of the boat into the new vessel.
Recently, the coalition of opposition politicians from both APC, PDP and Labour Party (LP) merged into the otherwise fringe and fledgling ADC in a bold effort to return to a two-party balance of political forces for electoral challenge in 2027.
Shortly after the unveiling of the pro tem leaders, ADC moved back to the states to scout for members, explain the rationale for the new political grouping. Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, explained that the leaders “are in their respective zones to galvanise and consult with the people. They (people) are our strength. After talking to them, we return to Abuja in two weeks to review and analyse reports.”
Perhaps, it was as part of that grassroots drive that the interim national secretary, Aregbesola, touched base in Lagos. That return appeared as a strategic statement to announce his return to active politics after rounding off his tenure as Minister of Interior under the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
Recall that Aregbesola was a protégé of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, having served as Commissioner of Works in Lagos State when the incumbent President was governor. That was also before the sun-born electronic engineer contested and won the Osun State gubernatorial poll.
Coming barely days after he emerged as the interim national secretary of the newly revived ADC, Aregbesola’s visit to Lagos exposed the vim and vigour with which the preferred platform of the coalition group is pursuing membership recruitment.
If it was a test of his popularity as the ‘king’ of Alimosho politics, the ADC’s interim national scribe scored a bull’s eye, because his supporters turned out in very large numbers, chanting solidarity songs. It was obvious that the former governor’s loyalists saw his new post as a consolidation of his entry into national politics.
Elated by the show of solidarity and outpouring of encouraging sentiments, Aregbesola used the opportunity to amplify his idea of what partisan political competition should be.
He reproved ADC members to eschew hauling, insulting, or attacking supporters of his former godfather and the APC, even as he noted that there was much work to be done to market the new platform as a credible alternative.
Exposing what could be the template for the approaching competition for Nigerians’ votes, Aregbesola wrote: “We do not need to fight, insult, or attack anyone. When others resort to abuse or name-calling, we must rise above it. Instead, ask them one simple question: Are Nigerians better off today than they were before?
“Challenge them with facts — on food inflation, the economy, the rising cost of living, and the deepening poverty affecting millions.
“Let our debates remain focused on the issues that matter. Articulate our position clearly and confidently. Explain why our new political home, the ADC, represents a credible and necessary alternative for Nigeria’s progress and long-term sustainability.”
But, as the ADC leaders mount their aggressive scouting for converts, the governor of the home state of the national secretary, Adeleke, that of Zamfara and Borno, have found themselves in a somewhat precarious quandary based on their past political relationships.
IN the course of the 2023 general elections, the reform-minded Dauda Lawal could not work with the presidential candidate of his party, PDP, mainly because he was seen as a greenhorn in the politics of the state and at the centre.
Not only that, the national leaders of PDP relied on Dr Shehu Mahdi, who has been a close ally of Atiku Abubakar.
As a result of that distance, Lawal was not empowered like other colleagues in the party to oversee the election plans. Even the logistical provision, which ordinarily could have been handed over to the governorship candidate, was given to Mahdi.
And, left out of the campaign loop as it were, the banker-turned-politician decided to do things his own way. He rode on the general loss of public confidence in the then administration of Dr Bello Matawalle to mobilise the youth and women of Zamfara.
Perhaps due to the popularity of Governor Dauda’s mission in Zamfara State, the ADC recruiters did not waste time extending the invitation to the governor to join the coalition forces.
According to the Zamfara State chairman of ADC, Kabiru Garba, Governor Dauda is needed in the ongoing efforts to rid Nigeria of the maladministration of APC, noting that like the governor, ADC is “a dynamic force that is committed to grassroots politics, generational change and transformative development.”
Garba stated: “We are appealing to credible politicians who have good records of political integrity to join the ADC. All we need is credibility. We are ready to lead this party to success in 2027. We are capable, and our party’s manifesto is tailored towards the development of Zamfara State and the nation as a whole.
“The ADC in Zamfara would be glad to welcome His Excellency, Governor Dauda Lawal, if he chooses to join our party.”
There is no doubt that Governor Lawal’s achievements and mass following have endeared him to the people of the state, thereby making him the beautiful bride courted by both APC and the emerging top contender, ADC.
Weeks back, when the former Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu, was in Gusau to commission the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development and renovated Zamfara College of Arts, he advised the governor to play real politics instead of operating with a one-track mind.
Kalu enjoined Lawal to build a political bridge with President Tinubu, stressing that the governor does not necessarily have to belong to the APC to maintain good relations with the Presidency. “The people of Zamfara could lose out on major developments if you fail to play political economics with the President,” the former Abia State governor remarked.
Although it could not be ascertained whether Governor Lawal has decided to toe the Orji Kalu politics, the Zamfara State governor cannot join either the APC or the ADC on account of the personalities involved.
While Lawal would be glad to be free of the Mahdi/Atiku influence in PDP, joining APC is totally out of it given his ongoing shadow-boxing with the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Matawalle, who is still breathing hot air over the loss of the 2023 governorship to the ‘political green horn’ Dauda.
These points could have weighed heavily on the minds of Governor Lawal when he decided to echo Sule Lamido by deciding to stay put in the mawkish PDP.
Adeleke: Ruptured accord with Aregbe
ON Saturday, July 16, 2022, the Osun State gubernatorial poll was held. Senator Ademola Nurudeen Jackson Adeleke, was returned as winner after beating the incumbent, Gboyega Adetola, who is believed to be a distant cousin to the current President.
By August 8, 2026, Governor Adeleke would be seeking re-election for a second term in office. In his first electoral triumph, the popular notion was that the current interim national secretary of ADC, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, nudged his supporters to vote for Adeleke, the PDP candidate, against his immediate successor, Oyetola, of the APC.
Though it was alleged that Oyetola was not the originally preferred candidate of Aregbesola, it was gathered that the ADC scribe felt betrayed by his successor, alleging that his successor made a policy out of dismantling his (Aregbesola’s) legacy projects and programmes.
Even at that, some insiders accused Aregbesola of betraying his political godfather, Tinubu, by the way he sided with then-President Buhari to diminish Tinubu’s political interests while serving as the Minister of Interior.
If Governor Adeleke benefited from Aregbesola’s anti-party activities against APC to become governor, it is now left to be seen how the recent emergence of the former governor as ADC national scribe pro-tempore would affect his preparations for re-election.
Will Adeleke stay put in wounded PDP and stand the danger of divided votes that would inevitably ensue in an anticipated three-horse race involving ADC, APC and PDP? Or could it be that the governor would adopt the posture of wait and see in the lead up to the eleventh hour of the governorship poll?
Governor Adeleke has so far denied any immediate interest in joining the coalition, possibly to avoid earning the ire of the Presidency.
AT the Gombe State venue of the North-East zonal consultative meeting, which ended in fracas, the Borno State governor fell out with his Gombe State counterpart, accusing Inuwa Yahaya of siding with those who were planning to deny Senator Kashim Shettima a second term ticket alongside President Tinubu.
Zulum’s show of solidarity and support for the VP’s political future interest has earned him much adulation and backing in Borno State. The growing sentiment in Borno is that in the event that APC makes good its threat to drop Shettima from the presidential ticket, the state would consider moving over to an alternative political platform.
If that option presents itself, then ADC, rather than PDP, will most likely become the beneficiary of that political animosity. But, refusing to be drawn into such contemplation, Governor Zulum swiftly denied speculations making the rounds in the state to the effect that he plans to lead five other governors into the ADC.
Noting that the opposition coalition party has made its specific agenda to be the defeat of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027, the governor, through his Special Adviser on Media, Dauda Iliya, dismissed the rumour.
He described as “unfounded and a baseless fabrication by unscrupulous elements seeking relevance in the media”, insinuations that he was planning such a political migration.
In a statement made available to The Guardian, Iliya declared: “We’re aware of a fictitious and mischievous social media report circulating in certain quarters, alleging plans by me to decamp from APC to the ADC alongside five other governors from the North.
“This is entirely false and exists only in the imagination of its sponsors,” he further denied the governors’ defections to the opposition coalition political party.”
Beyond the social media rumours, Iliya noted that “this is a classic example of a cheap, politically-motivated speculation solely designed to distract the APC governors and create unnecessary political tension in the North.”
Reaffirming his loyalty to President Tinubu, Zulum was quoted as saying, “My loyalty to the APC remains firm and my dedication is solely to the welfare and progress of the state.”
