Abdullahi Assures Free and Fair Selection of ADC Presidential Candidate for 2027

Bolaji Abdullahi is the African Democratic Congress’s (ADC) national publicity secretary. In this interview, CHIBUIKE CHUKWU discusses a number of topics, including the failings of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ADC’s plan ahead of the general elections in 2027, and the continuous rush to join the coalition opposition party. A few quotes.

Since joining the alliance, the ADC has gained widespread acceptance across the nation, with some members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) reportedly identifying as its members. What do you suppose the cause of this is?

It’s because Nigerians realized they no longer wanted this APC, and that’s the only explanation. The anguish and suffering that the current administration has inflicted upon them is something they are aware of. Nigerians have realized that the current APC government is responsible for all of these problems, but they haven’t been able to find a substitute because the PDP has been destabilized and is essentially dead. They’ve lost all of their governors, and more could follow. At least for the time being, I don’t see any likelihood of those who have left returning. As a result, the populace felt powerless. Therefore, the arrival of the ADC was a welcome relief to those Nigerians who had become weary of the path the APC was heading the nation. Thus, the movement toward ADC, which is taking place in the nation, is a manifestation of two things: first, the rejection of the APC, and second, the possibility of an alternative. Because Nigerians are suffering greatly under the current administration, that explains the rush that we are witnessing into the party. I can assure you that this rush will continue. Around the nation, the narrative remains consistent: the APC has not been able to address the issue that they caused.

Many Nigerians thought that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the 2023 general election did not hold free and fair elections and that the process was opaque. What is the party doing to ensure that the votes will count in 2027 and that the person chosen by the voters at the various polling places will be proclaimed the victor, given that the 2027 election will be overseen by the same INEC and that the coalition has rushed into it?

How to encourage people to cast ballots will be our largest obstacle. How can we get people to cast their ballots? We must reassure individuals that their votes will count if we hope to persuade them to cast ballots. Do you understand me correctly? When people consider the most recent election and their previous votes, they convince themselves that these individuals will still write the outcomes regardless of what we do. Thus, it’s a really risky position. Therefore, maintaining our advocacy for electoral change is one of our biggest challenges. Furthermore, automatic results transmission from the polling station must be the foundation of any electoral reform. That’s how easy it is. We know that if this government does not permit a free and transparent election, we will, God forbid, plunge the nation into a crisis, therefore you will see a lot of action from us on this issue. We must all be on guard because it might generate a major catastrophe if you read that people are aware that they did not vote for you. All signs point to the fact that this government appears to be made up of individuals who are not familiar with the rules. We shall persist in exerting pressure on INEC to uphold the constitution, honor popular will, and refrain from enabling agents to impede this nation’s advancement. It is important for INEC to understand that their mandate is to serve the interests of this nation.

In the coalition ADC, Nigerians have a legitimate concern about zoning and personal goals. Many Nigerians think that certain concerns, like where the ADC would put its presidential ticket, could cause the party to collapse. Is there, therefore, a system in place inside the party to prevent any crises from arising from this and to ensure that everyone would support the presidential candidate regardless of his origins?

The best course of action for us to take—that is, the course of action we intend to take—is to permit a free and open election process within our own party. We won’t ask anyone to pull out on our behalf. Our agenda is not set in stone. We don’t have a candidate of choice. Members should have the freedom to choose who represents the party. We know that in many political parties, there may be a pre-selected candidate that everyone would support, but ADC will not follow such course. We’re going to let the process generate the applicant. We are not discussing where we will zone the president or where we will not zone the president because of this. There isn’t anyone in ADC having that discussion. Our internal election will be as transparent as anticipated, as I previously stated, and I can guarantee that whoever is chosen to represent the party will be accepted by all since it will be obvious to everyone.

In 2023, the PDP’s issue arose from their failure to zone their ticket to the south due to noncompliance with zoning. Tinubu has arranged for South to serve for four years. Shouldn’t the ADC zone their ticket to the south in order to give the zone another four years?

No, I have informed you that ADC is not currently having that talk. Our party is brand-new. Building our party is our main priority. When the time comes, we will cross the bridge. We shall make the decision regarding presidential candidates when it comes time. Now that we have decided to zone our presidential campaign here, we will not disclose this information to anyone. The party’s construction is our first goal. The priorities we currently have have nothing to do with zoning to any side. Before we do anything else, let’s build the party. Nigerians are interested in joining our party, so we must establish a framework they can rely on. Therefore, that is now our top priority. Of course, we can still talk about this when we have more time and are ready to decide how to handle the problem you are bringing up.

The APC has stated on multiple occasions that the coalition is composed of individuals who are upset over not being appointed to any positions in the current administration. Considering that, how would you rank this government? How do you interpret that type of story?

Not everyone in ADC is upset because they were not given a position in Tinibu’s administration, you can’t say. In the first place, did they anticipate any appointments from Tinubu’s administration? Members of ADC come from a variety of parties. Therefore, if there are individuals in his party who had expectations, then it’s acceptable. However, other individuals had no expectations of him. Others who joined him are also upset because they want to get to a point where 99% of people participate more, which is a valid worry for everyone. Therefore, a cynical interpretation that says, “Oh, it’s because he lost out on power or because they are not invited to the table,” is not the point. Chief John Oyegun is 86 years old. Are you implying that he is upset tonight because he was not invited to join the ruling party for dinner? If what they say is true, they are promoting the incorrect narrative. Nigerians are suffering greatly, as I have argued, and the government appears to be at a loss for solutions, but they are trying to keep the nation united. People are associating with the ADC because they believe that the country has to be saved from further decline into despair.

What significant shortcomings do ADC believe the current government has that will serve as the focus of their campaign? In other words, the party must explain to Nigerians what it will do differently from the APC government. Stated differently, what shortcomings do you believe the current APC government has that the coalition ADC will focus on in its campaign to persuade Nigerians of before the general elections in 2027?

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You are aware of what I mean because you reside in Lagos. Does that not give a government the excuse to give up and declare that it is impossible to accomplish this? Look, the issue was their own doing. Not enough consideration was given to the impact on the populace when the president announced that fuel subsidies would be eliminated. We are not discussing our opposition to the idea of eliminating subsidies. It’s because they didn’t think it through enough to say, “This is what we are going to do, and there’s a reason why previous administrations haven’t succeeded in doing it.” Have we adequately taken into consideration the ensuing fallout? How will the impact on the populace be addressed? The naira was then depreciated while they were still in power, and when you mix the two, you have a recipe for disaster. Even the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was taken aback by Nigeria’s willingness to devalue its currency so much. In other words, these two problems are the root causes of the current crisis—that is, the immediate crisis resulting from the current disaster in which Nigeria finds itself. Incompetence is another problem that we might bring up. Thus, when discussing the core of the ADC, let’s start with what the ADC has accomplished. They imposed a culture of silence on this nation, which we have destroyed. That’s the top priority. The second is that we are giving people alternatives. Prior to the arrival of ADC, Nigeria was gradually becoming a one-party state. ADC’s arrival has therefore stopped that. Third, they say that they want to restore Nigeria to its previous state. However, if something is on the brink of a cliff, wouldn’t you reset it and put it back? They have driven Nigeria and its citizens to the brink, and we are arguing that we must take a step back and examine our own actions. Because of the policies this government has implemented, Nigerians have not simply ended up where they are. Ask any Nigerian—and I’ll ask you too—if we haven’t endured enough suffering. Even when we spend 1,000 Naira for a liter of gasoline and 1,500 or 1,600 for a dollar today, you claim that there is no issue. Does that represent the cost of improving Nigeria? Have you been informed by this government about the duration of our suffering? Has anyone figured out what the end of suffering will bring? So, for what precisely are we paying? Why exactly are we going through this? They claim that the fuel subsidy has been eliminated. It appears that we are spending absurd amounts of money on subsidies. Does that not apply? And where is the money? For what purpose are they at work? Once more, where is the money? Oh, they’re giving the states more money as a result, they’ll tell you, but that’s untrue. They are providing the state with a larger allocation as a result of the Naira’s devaluation. It is a monetary illusion. It is illusory as they are giving the same amount and using the same dollar word. You lose a lot of money when you convert it to Naira due to the devaluation. Where is this money now? They claim to be building infrastructure. In what ways has this infrastructure made people’s lives better? In order to persuade us that they are truly acting morally, we at ADC are saying that Nigeria must be able to enter a hospital, see drugs, and ask, “Well, where is this free drug coming from?” Then they claim that it is due to a subsidy. Does that not apply? So what exactly are we suffering for if we don’t find it? And that’s what ADC is posing. Why are we going through this? What are Nigerians being punished for by the naira’s devaluation and the removal of subsidies? And from where will the light emanate? Is there hope for a better future? What will be the source of this light? Their remaining years are less than two years. Elections are scheduled to begin next year. That’s the end by next year, when elections begin. When, then, will we benefit from this pain? They’ll also remark that it’s a slow process and that a good policy will always be difficult. That is incredibly dishonest of the administration. Given our uncertainty about their actions, why should we reward them and grant them another four years? Considering how much misery and adversity Nigerians are going through, it will be awful to have them for another four years. Because they see the ADC to be a superior option to the APC, Nigerians are flocking to join it.

What is your opinion on the tax reform bill? The government has received praise for the bill, at least from some quarters.

for developing the tax reform legislation. I mean, they’re not getting any flak for it. Tax reform is a good thing and is required. However, the tax change is not the important factor. It is the way that more tax inflation will result in a higher standard of living for the populace. More funding for the government is useless if it doesn’t make people’s lives better. That’s the main point. You are also aware of the impact that tax reform has on the average citizen. How might tax reform assist an Oshodi lady who is having financial difficulties providing for her kids? What does a single child who makes 35,000 Naira mean to her? 35,000 Naira is hardly more than 3,000 Naira in today’s currency. Money is what it can purchase. What does this translate to before we introduce tax reform here? What is meant by it?

Are you happy, as a former sports minister, with the National Sports Commission taking the place of the sports ministry entirely?

It does have advantages of its own. It makes flexibility possible. It permits more continuity. The fact that sports ministers change positions over time is one of the problems facing the sport industry. I am among the longest-serving ministers of sports, having served for around three years. That’s not sufficient. You can’t truly prepare for an Olympic Games in four years, for instance, if we begin today to get ready for the Tokyo Olympics. It most likely takes eight years to get athletes ready for the Olympics. It is therefore impossible to create a plan when you have ministers who don’t work for up to two years. When a director general of a sports commission has a term that can be extended by eight years, it indicates that he is capable of creating and carrying out a plan. Its merit lies in that. The fact that the chairman or director general of the National Sports Commission is not a member of the cabinet is a disadvantage. Therefore, there is no place for sports on the Federal Executive Council. That is its disadvantage, therefore. However, the question is if the merit or the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.