A group within the African Democratic Congress has kicked against the appointment of former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, as the party’s interim national secretary, calling it illegal and lacking due process.
The group, made up of youth leaders, women leaders, ward coordinators, and some state executives, made their position known in a statement released on Tuesday. The statement was signed by Dr Musa Isa Matara, the National Publicity Secretary of the party.
Reacting to Aregbesola’s recent acceptance speech as interim secretary, the group said the appointment was not approved by the party’s National Executive Committee or at any recognised national convention.
“While we appreciate the enthusiasm with which Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has delivered his acceptance speech as Interim National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, we must urgently and firmly reject the premise and process behind this appointment,” the statement said.
They said the appointment did not follow the rules of the party and that no consultation was made with national officers, state chairmen, youth leaders, or any key structure of the party.
“We are not opposed to coalitions. We are not opposed to reform. But we are opposed to hijack, to imposition, and to speeches that sound revolutionary but hide elitist intentions beneath poetic language,” Matara said.
Aregbesola’s appointment came alongside that of former Senate President David Mark, who was named interim national chairman. Both men are reportedly part of a larger opposition coalition supported by Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and other political figures planning to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the next election.
However, Matara and his group say the party has not officially joined any coalition.
“The claim that the ADC has become the ‘platform of the National Opposition Coalition Group’ is misleading. Our millions of members have not been informed or carried along in this so-called coalition,” the statement read.
He warned those pushing the coalition agenda not to impose decisions on the party and reminded them that issues over the leadership of the party are still in court.
“The ADC is not for sale. It belongs to its members, not political merchants or elite dealmakers,” the group said.
