Gbajabiamila: Opposition coalition’s ADC adoption vital for Nigeria’s democracy
Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has hailed the opposition coalition’s adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a pivotal step for Nigeria’s democracy, aimed at averting the risk of a one-party state.
In remarks made to journalists following his participation in the Lagos State local government elections on Saturday, Gbajabiamila stated, “It’s a welcome development with the coalition… In every democracy, we must have some level of opposition otherwise we’ll run into a one-party state.” He expressed interest in how this coalition might evolve moving forward.
Earlier this month, coalition leaders convened at the Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, where they officially embraced the ADC as their platform to challenge the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming 2027 elections.
Ralph Nwosu presented the party’s membership card to David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, who were appointed as interim national chairman and national secretary, respectively, during the event.
Prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Labour Party’s Peter Obi were present, along with governors and other political stakeholders including Nasir El-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi, Dino Melaye, and Dele Momodu.
The meeting also saw participation from several politicians affiliated with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP).
After voting at Lagos PU 014 located in Elizabeth Fowler Memorial High School, Gbajabiamila described the election as mostly peaceful and fair but noted a concerning trend regarding voter turnout.
“So far, I’ve seen peace, I’ve seen quiet, I’ve seen free and fair election,” he remarked, but added, “I’m a little bit disappointed about the turnout which is where we need to work on.”
He highlighted the necessity of educating citizens about the significance of local government elections, stating, “Perhaps because people don’t understand fully the importance of local government elections… We need to sensitise our people. We need to educate them about the importance of grassroots government.” Gbajabiamila concluded by noting the elections proceeded without any reported incidents, which he saw as a positive sign for future democratic processes.
Source: Channels TV
