A member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Publicity Committee, Dr. Ladan Salihu, has issued a call to major political figures, including the former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi, to formalise their membership with the party without further delay in order to prepare for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE News on Friday, Dr. Ladan Salihu, a member of the ADC Publicity Committee, said the party cannot afford to waste time given the political climate and Nigerians’ demand for change.
He declared: “We are in a very delicate political situation right now in the country. The kind of challenges we have, the constraints—and going forward—politics is war that you fight with civility and strategy.”
He added that “Right now, the nation can’t wait. We have less than two years, if you like, to the national elections. And Nigerians are yearning for a complete overhaul, a complete change, a complete new direction, new leadership politically. So you don’t have the luxury of time to take a laissez-faire attitude to politics.”
Dr. Salihu explained that the ultimatum issued to Obi and others was not intended to cause friction but to strengthen preparations for 2027. “The approach the ADC did to Mr. Peter Obi is just to inject some valve and vigour into his own political machine, to understand the imperatives of quickly joining the ADC 100 percent so that we can strategise, come up with the best of options when speaking to Nigerians.
“In our fold, we have titans that have been tested with integrity and the pedigree to win an election. We can’t wait. It wasn’t meant to raise any negativities, but to urge Mr. Obi to hurry up and join the coalition so that we can perfect our strategies going forward.”
He stressed that the directive was not targeted at Obi alone but applied to all political leaders considering joining the ADC. “It is not particularly directed at Mr. Peter Obi and the Labour Party. No. It is directed to all political juggernauts, chieftains, and members of other political parties who want to join the fold, to understand the imperative that we must not be seen as complacent. We must be seen to have our hands on the plough, to give the party direction, and to convince Nigerians that we are not only the party that will give them change, but the change they deserve and the change they have been yearning for.”
Responding to doubts over the coalition’s clarity of vision, Dr. Salihu insisted the ADC is focused and strategic. “The ADC, the coalition, is as clear as chalk is from cheese, my sister. We concentrate on the issues. We look at the political parameters, we look at the future—not only for the metamorphosis of the party into a great platform for Nigerians to come on board so that we can achieve the change we are talking about. We are also looking at the party as the strategic option going forward that will galvanise Nigerians and give them a platform of belief, conscience, and integrity—an option that is workable, that will prevail, and that will take Nigeria out of the present state of political disillusionment to a state of purposefulness for national success.”
On the recent meeting between former President Goodluck Jonathan, ADC Chairman and former Senate President David Mark, Dr. Salihu said it reflected the growing national recognition of the party. “In politics, strategy matters. It is very good not only for the optimism of the ADC, but it shows Nigerians that a statesman of quality and pedigree such as President Goodluck Jonathan—who has proven himself as a quality leader—can engage with the ADC.
“It tells you the ADC is going places. These meetings will continue as part of calibration, interface, integration, reaching out and deepening stakeholding.”
Asked if Jonathan could emerge as a candidate, he said: “Every person that has quality and can provide leadership for Nigerians is welcome on board. We are a party that will live by the rules and the norms of civilised political behaviour in campaigns, elections, primaries, and candidate presentation.”
On the mode of primaries, Dr. Salihu said the process is still being finalised. “The major midwives of the political party are working on that. But what I want to assure Nigerians is that whatever options the ADC puts on the table, it will guarantee transparency, integrity, and belief for every contestant.
“At the end of the election, whether at the presidential, gubernatorial, national assembly or local level, every contestant will be satisfied that the process has been fullproof—not the anointing of candidates like you see in other parties,”he concluded.
Boluwatife Enome
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