I’m ADC’s financier… coalition is destined to fail, says Leke Abejide

Leke Abejide, a member of the house of representatives and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), says the ongoing coalition efforts within the party are doomed to fail.

Speaking on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television programme, Abejide, who represents Yagba federal constituency in Kogi, described himself as the face and financier of the ADC.

On Wednesday, opposition politicians, including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and Nasir el-Rufari, ex-governor of Kaduna, unveiled the ADC as the platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections.

But the lawmaker expressed scepticism about the coalition, which has seen an influx of new members into the ADC from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I have been in this party since 2018, and I’m the face of ADC in Nigeria, and I believe you can say ADC only exists in Kogi state,” he said.

Abejide distanced himself from the coalition, revealing that he declined to attend related meetings despite being approached by Ralph Nwosu, founder and ex-national chairman of the ADC.

“People I never expected to join ADC are now there. I don’t think we have anything in common. The people I have something in common with are mostly in APC,” he added.

“I’m the financier of the party. The national chairman spoke with me, but I didn’t attend any of their meetings. There is nothing they didn’t do.

“I didn’t attend their meeting because I don’t believe in it. Something I know is not going to work or bring any success – why should I go there?”

The lawmaker addressed the resignation of Nwosu as the party’s national chairman, noting that everyone has the right to freedom of association.

“As the president (Bola Tinubu) said, there is freedom of association. Tomorrow, I can decide to go to APC; nobody can stop me. So, for them to come to ADC, it is their own right to do that,” he said.

“And for the national chairman (Nwosu), who resigned, it is his own right to go wherever he wants, but as for me, that coalition is not going to end anywhere.”