Salihu Lukman, former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has raised a red flag over what he described as creeping godfatherism within the ADC coalition.
In a statement issued on Tuesday titled “ADC and the Prospect of Internal Democracy”, Lukman expressed concern over what he termed ongoing efforts by some prominent figures in the opposition coalition to hijack the party by planting loyalists at key leadership positions.
He warned that unless the trend is halted, Nigerians may see the ADC as no different from older parties it claims to replace.
“The ongoing attempts to ensure that the loyalists of prominent leaders take control of the reformed ADC sideline critical considerations such as intellectual competence, integrity, performance history, name recognition, public respect, independent thinking, and general acceptance among stakeholders—criteria we had all previously agreed upon,” Lukman stated.
He argued that these manipulations may lead to a repeat of the same old political culture the ADC claims to oppose, stressing that party leaders risk becoming political godfathers who impose surrogates across party structures in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
While commending Senator David Mark for overseeing a smooth leadership transition within the party, Lukman warned that the work was far from done. He noted that some opposition elements were already treating the 2027 elections as a settled matter, undermining internal democratic processes in the party.
“The true test of Senator Mark’s leadership lies in his ability to resist this trend and ensure the ADC doesn’t fall into the grip of godfathers,” Lukman added.
He concluded by urging Nigerians to keep a close eye on the unfolding developments within the ADC, as the future of the party depends on whether it can rise above manipulation and offer a genuine alternative to the country’s leadership crisis.
Lukman’s comments come at a time when the ADC is working to position itself as the leading opposition platform ahead of 2027, following its alliance with the Labour Party and other political forces.