Former Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board, Lauretta Onochie, has unveiled the One ADC Movement, a new initiative within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) aimed at promoting unity, reconciliation and grassroots mobilisation across the party.
Onochie, who serves as the National Coordinator of the One ADC Movement, made the announcement during the public unveiling of the platform attended by party leaders, stakeholders and members of the media.
Describing the initiative as a significant step toward consolidating the party’s internal cohesion, Onochie said the movement was established to strengthen bonds among party members and ensure that disagreements within the party do not undermine its broader political goals.
“The message of today is simple but powerful: One Party. One Vision. One Movement. One ADC,” Onochie declared while addressing participants at the event.
She said the unveiling represented more than a routine political gathering, describing it as the beginning of a nationwide effort to build unity within the party.
“Today is not just another political event. Today is a statement of unity. Today is a declaration of purpose. Today is the birth of a movement,” she said.
According to her, Nigerians are increasingly observing the internal dynamics of political parties and questioning whether political organisations can rise above divisions to effectively serve the interests of the people.
“The One ADC Movement is built on a simple but powerful principle — that unity is the greatest strength of any political party,” Onochie said.
She explained that the movement was created to encourage reconciliation among party members, strengthen loyalty to the collective decisions of the party, and discourage anti-party activities that could weaken the ADC’s political platform.
Onochie noted that political parties should be seen as communities where individuals with shared democratic values come together to build a collective political future.
“A political party is not merely an election platform. It is a community. It is a family. It is a gathering of people who believe that together they can build something stronger than themselves,” she said.
She acknowledged that disagreements, debates and internal contests are natural features of democratic politics but stressed that the real test of party strength lies in how members respond after such moments.
“Like every family, there will be debates. There will be contests. There will be disagreements. That is the nature of democracy. What matters is what happens after those moments,” she said.
Onochie emphasised that the One ADC Movement represents an effort to ensure that members choose unity rather than division.
Outlining the objectives of the initiative, she said the movement will promote unity across all structures of the party, encourage reconciliation after primaries and internal contests, and mobilise Nigerians who share the party’s democratic ideals.
The movement will also focus on strengthening party structures at the grassroots level across the country.
According to Onochie, the initiative will engage communities nationwide, encourage the participation of young people and women, and support party structures from the ward level to the national leadership.
“Great political parties are not built only during election seasons. They are built through consistent organisation, discipline and unity,” she said.
She added that the movement would operate across communities, states and generations with the goal of consolidating the internal strength of the ADC ahead of future elections.
“When members stand together, the party becomes stronger. When the party becomes stronger, it becomes better positioned to serve Nigerians,” Onochie noted.
She further argued that unity within political parties strengthens Nigeria’s democratic system by building public confidence in political institutions.
According to her, the unveiling of the One ADC Movement marks the beginning of a nationwide effort to deepen internal democracy within the African Democratic Congress.
Onochie also expressed appreciation to the leadership of the party, members across the country and the media for their continued engagement in democratic discourse.
She urged members of the movement to take the message of unity to every level of the party structure.
“Let us carry this message of unity across every ward, every local government, every state and every community,” she said.
She also called on members to build bridges where divisions exist and strengthen the structures that will move the party forward.
“Today we unveil a movement. Tomorrow we build momentum. And together we will strengthen the African Democratic Congress for the future,” Onochie added.
The African Democratic Congress is one of Nigeria’s registered political parties and has in recent years sought to expand its political influence by positioning itself as an alternative platform within Nigeria’s evolving democratic landscape.
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