•ADC website crashes thrice in 48 hours amid surging membership registration

•Party accuses Tinubu’sgovt of plotting to destabilise opposition coalition

•Ex-SGF dumps APC 

•Aggrieved ADC members ask court to declare Mark-led interim leadership illegal

Former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), AtikuAbubakar, yesterday, accused the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, NyesomWike, for turning the church pulpit into a political campaign propaganda, warning that his day of reckoning was no longer far.

However, in what many had described as a significant political momentum, the ADC website crashed three times in just 48 hours, overwhelmed by a surge of Nigerians seeking information and membership following the recent opposition coalition.

This was as the ADC raised  the alarm over an alleged plot by elements within the Tinubu administration to undermine and destabilise the growing opposition coalition.

In another development, a former Secretary to the Government of Federation, David BabachirLawal, has announced his decision to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC).

At the same time, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has cautioned leaders of the coalition that any attempt to exclude any region from participating in the contest to select a presidential candidate for the coalition would result in a stillbirth for the movement.

Meanwhile, chairman of the APC, Ebonyi State chapter, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, has said the opposition coalition parties would not make any inroad in the state because of the popularity and performance of Governor Francis Nwifuru of the state.

Similarly, some youths in Ondo State, have expressed pessimism over the formation of the ADC, stating that the move would end up in fiasco.

However, Atiku described what Wike did as a desecration of the altar of God as well as an abomination in the sight of man and God.

Wike had Sunday at the St James Anglican Church in Asokoro, Abuja, turned the church’s pulpit into a campaign soapbox.

But reacting, Atiku said, ‘’The land-grabbing Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, NyesomWike, staggered into church not to seek forgiveness but to turn the altar of the Most High into a political soapbox.’’

According to Atiku, in a statement by his Media Aide, Paul Ibeh, ‘’Now, let me be clear: there’s absolutely nothing wrong with going to Church. I, too, was in the sanctuary today — lifting my voice in thanksgiving to Jehovah for the safe delivery of the Coalition.

“A coalition that W(h)I(s)KE(y), the Herod of the FCT, tried — unsuccessfully — to abort before it saw the light of day. But God prevailed. The coalition lives.

‘’What is utterly abominable, however, is the desecration of the sacred altar with partisan bile, as Wike shamelessly did today. It is written: “Take these things away! Stop making My Father’s house a place of commerce!” (John 2:16 AMP).

“But in Wike’s hands, the house of God became a theatre of lies, vengeance, and drunken arrogance. Perhaps he should have used the moment to repent for the impunity with which he has been allocating prime Abuja lands to his sons, in what now resembles a feudal monarchy masquerading as public service.

“According to credible reports by an online newspaper, this self-proclaimed democrat of a government by the father, for the sons, had first denied these transactions. Now, cornered by truth, he has resorted to intimidation — ordering the arrest of a civil servant from the FCDA for allegedly leaking documents that exposed his abuse of office.

‘’As a Christian, Wike will be allocated a burial plot of an average of 8 feet long and 2.5 feet wide when he finishes his race like all mortals. It matters less if he is rich (but of unknown source of income) or poor. The space is not even big enough to accommodate his Rolls Royce.

‘’Has Wike forgotten so soon how he came to AtikuAbubakar with Makinde and others to beg to be handed the Vice Presidential ticket in 2023? He also lobbied friends and associates of the former Vice President for the same.

‘’Selective amnesia must be a side effect of alcohol because Wike clearly forgets that Atiku trounced him twice — first in Port Harcourt in 2019 and again in Abuja in 2023.

‘’If he still thirsts for humiliation, he should prepare for a third and final defeat — this time, right at his doorstep in Obio-Akpor.

‘’Wike should remember: God is not mocked. The altar is not a podium for propaganda. And the day of reckoning is not far off,’’ he concluded.

ADC Website Crashes Thrice in 48 Hours

The ADC website has reportedly crashed three times in just 48 hours, overwhelmed by a surge of Nigerians seeking information and membership registration following the recent opposition coalition.

The development is being hailed as a barometer of public interest in the emerging alliance between former Vice President AtikuAbubakar and other prominent opposition figures in the country.

The political pact, which was formally unveiled on July 3, aims to forge a common front capable of challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election.

The repeated outages were brought to public attention by the Special Assistant on Digital Media and Strategy to Atiku, DemolaOlarewaju.

Taking to X, Olarewaju said, “ADC website has crashed three times since the coalition was announced: Nigerians have been waiting for an alternative to APC, and it is advertising itself already.”

His comments were met with enthusiasm from coalition supporters and those confounded by the development.

According to one analyst, SaniKabo, the volume of traffic overwhelming the party’s website is widely seen as indicative of a growing appetite for political realignment ahead of the next election cycle.

Other political observers drew comparisons between the current coalition-building effort and the 2013 merger that gave birth to the APC, which successfully unseated the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after 16 years in power.

The present initiative, led by many opposition heavyweights, is seen as potentially capable of replicating that feat, particularly if it could unite Nigeria’s fragmented political base.

“This isn’t just a website crashing. It’s the sound of Nigerians knocking on the door of change,” said a political analyst, who asked not to be named. “People want in. They want to participate.”

While the surge in attention has reignited enthusiasm among supporters of both Atiku and Obi, the coalition leaders sued for caution and a focus on institution-building.

Meanwhile, the ADC has raised  the alarm over an alleged plot by some elements within the Tinubu administration to undermine and destabilise the growing opposition coalition.

In a statement yesterday by the Interim National Publicity Secretary of the party, MallamBolajiAbdullahi, the ADC revealed that former state chairmen and key members of the party’s state executive committees in the North East and North West have been summoned to a secret meeting with top officials of the federal government.

“We have credible intelligence that the aim of this meeting is not for national security or peacebuilding. It is to intimidate, coerce, and if possible, co-opt these individuals into a fabricated scheme against the opposition coalition. This is not politics. This is sabotage,” the statement statement said

According to the ADC, ‘’The motive is clear: to sow confusion within the party, de-legitimise its new leadership, and derail its rising momentum as the new face of the opposition in Nigeria.

“Let it be clear, this surreptitious dalliance with the ADC State Chairpersons by appointees of the federal government who should be focused on urgent national security priorities and challenges that the country is facing is a coordinated assault on multiparty democracy. This is how one-party states are born—through intimidation.

“The July 1st Coalition Declaration, and the July 2nd unveiling of the ADC, have clearly rattled the ruling party. It is now obvious that the Tinubu administration — having lost the trust of the Nigerian people — cannot withstand the pressure of a united and credible opposition.

‘’But rather than correct its ways, it has resorted to its old playbook of destabilising opposition parties.

“Let it be clear: the coalition movement is an idea whose time has come. This party belongs to every Nigerian who is tired of the lies, the manipulation, and the hardship. It belongs to every Nigerian who wants to restore decency, vision, and justice to governance.

‘’We would therefore not allow a handful of desperate men to turn Nigeria into a one-party dictatorship. And it would be our patriotic duty to resist it with every democratic means available to us.” 

Former SGF Dumps APC

Former Secretary to the Government of Federation, David BabachirLawal, has announced his decision to leave the APC.

In his letter of resignation addressed to the chairman of Bangshika ward in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State, dated June 29, 2025, the former Secretary to Government of Federation said the resignation was with immediate effect.

‘’I write to formally notify you of my resignation from the All Progressives Congress. In due course, I will make public my current political affiliations where  I plan to join other compatriots to work towards making Nigeria a better living place for all its citizens.

‘’This resignation takes immediate effect. Please, remain blessed and extend my warm regards to other members of your party,’’ he said.

He did not state where his political destination would be, but he is one of the known architects of the ADC

But Farouk Aliyu, a known chieftain of the APC has described the opposition coalition as a group of personally aggrieved politicians driven by self-interest, not ideology.

In response to the formation of ADC, Aliyu, dismissed the alliance as a congregation of individuals driven by personal grievances rather than national interest.

Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Aliyu stated, “I don’t speak on behalf of the presidency, and I don’t agree with what the presidency said, that these guys are posing a threat to democracy. I don’t think so. Whether they are a threat to us, no, they are not. Certainly they are not. We respect them.

“What is the difference between them and us in terms of what they have to offer? The difference is mostly a group of persons who are aggrieved, personally aggrieved, because if you look at each and every one of them, they were part of us.”

He noted that many of those in the coalition were once part of the same political alliance that worked together to unseat former President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP in 2015.

“They are Nigerians like us, most of them, virtually all of them, were part of us. I mean, we are part of the same team that we came together to dethrone PDP when Jonathan was the president. They are just part of us that have left. But I think the whole country should look at them.”

Aliyu said the motivations behind the coalition were not rooted in ideology or a clear development agenda but in personal discontent.

Frank: Agitation for Northern, Southern Presidency May Affect Coalition

A former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has cautioned leaders of the coalition that any attempt to exclude any region from participating in the contest to select a presidential candidate for the coalition would result in a stillbirth for the movement.

He added that those agitating that the South alone must produce presidential candidates for the 2027 presidential election should perish the thought.

Frank, in a statement, was of the opinion that their utterances were not only divisive but cast members of the coalition from  the remaining five geopolitical zones as mere tools to attain the presidency.

He pointed out that what should be of concern to the leaders of the coalition in the current dispensation should not be about region but capacity and general acceptability across the country.

“Nigeria needs a president for all Nigerians, not a president for northern or southern Nigeria. We need a president that will help tackle and solve the nation’s myriad of challenges, both political, social and economic – like insecurity, unemployment, poverty, deteriorating health and education systems, among others.

“For 2027, the president can come from anywhere, whether north or south. Let the Nigerian electorate vote their choice, whether from north, south, east or west.

“All I’m saying is that Nigerians need a better president, a people’s president that will be elected based on popular mandate. If a Southern or Northern candidate is popular enough for Nigerians to vote for him across board, let him emerge as the president.

“Those saying that the South alone must produce presidential candidates for 2027 should perish the thought because their utterances are not only divisive but cast members of the coalition from  the remaining five geopolitical zones as mere tools to attain the presidency.”

“If a Northern candidate wins, fine and good. If a Southern candidate wins, fine and good. They should all support any candidate that emerges to win the presidential elections,” he said.

Ebonyi APC Dismisses Coalition Threats

The chairman of the APC, Ebonyi State chapter, Chief Stanley Okoro-Emegha, has said the opposition coalition parties would not make any inroad in the state because of the popularity and performance of Governor Francis Nwifuru.

In a chat with journalists in Abakaliki, the APC Boss revealed that another House of Representatives member from the opposition party in the state would join the party in afew weeks now.

The party had received the member representing Ezza North/Ishieleu federal constituency, Hon. Joseph Nwobashi from All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) with the member representing Afikpo/Edda federal constituency, Hon. IdumaIgariwey and his Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo federal constituency counterparts, Hon. Nkemkanma Kama remaining in  Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP).

“As far as the coalition of political parties is concerned, nobody should panic. APC is on course and Mr. President is trying to fix the things that have taken decades to fix and I believe very strongly that Mr. President in partnership with governors of states are working very hard to ensure that Nigeria competes favourably with other countries of the world.

“By a few weeks now, you will see another National Assembly member defecting to join me in APC and that is how prepared we are. It’s just simple. You know that they were up to four and one house of Assembly is now remaining in opposition and he is working very close with us but something is just holding him down.”

ADC Bound to Fail, Declare Ondo Youths

Some youths in Ondo State have expressed pessimism over the formation of the ADC-led coalition, stating that the move would end up in fiasco.

The group, under the auspices Akoko Youth Intellectual Movement (AYIM) also expressed support for the Senator representing Ondo North Senatorial District, JideIpinsagba.

Speaking at a press briefing on Monday in Ikare-Akoko, the Coordinator of the group, AyejuyoTemitayo, described the coalition as efforts in futility.

His words: “Honestly, this coalition being formed against President Bola Tinubu is bound to fail. The truth is, most of the politicians involved in it don’t carry much political weight.

“They make a lot of noise, but when it comes down to real influence and connection with the people, they fall short. Nigerians are smart, they know who truly has their interest at heart, and that’s why President Tinubu still enjoys strong support across the country.

“Looking ahead to 2027, we are confident that President Tinubu will win again. He has laid a solid foundation and continues to push forward with important reforms.”

Aggrieved ADC Members Ask Court to Declare  Mark-led Interim Leadership Illegal

In the meantime, three aggrieved members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), have asked a Federal High Court in Abuja, to declare as illegal and unlawful the interim leadership of the ADC under Senator David Mark.

The plaintiffs; Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu and HarunaIsmaila, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1328, predicated their request that the process through which the interim leadership came into existence violated the Constitution of the ADC.

Recall that former Senate President, David Mark, former Osun State Governor, RaufAregbesola and former Sports Minister, BolajiAbdullahi were last week unveiled as Chairman, Secretary and Spokesperson of the ADC following the adoption of the party as the platform of the newly opposition coalition.

Recall also that at the unveiling, former chairman of the ADC, RaphNwosu had resigned his position to pave the way for the new executive.

However, the plaintiffs are claiming that the process and outcome breached the constitutional provisions of the ADC and are therefore seeking the court’s intervention.

While the ADC, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), RaphNwosu, are 1st, 2nd and 3rd defendants Senator Mark, Aregbesola and Abdullahi are 4th, 5th and 6th defendants.

Among the issues raised for the court’s determination are; “Whether or not the appointment of the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants as Interim National Chairman, National Secretary, and National Publicity Secretary of the lst Defendant was made in breach of the provisions of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Constitution, 2018 (as amended).”

“Whether or not, given the combined provisions of Article 9, paragraph D of the ADC Constitution, 2018 (as amended), the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants are qualified to hold the respective offices to which they were appointed”.

Besides they asked if the key individuals involved in the merger, like the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants, were properly registered members of the 1st Defendant to qualify for a leadership position.

Plaintiffs also asked whether the constitution of the 1st Defendant, being an existing and not a newly formed political party, makes provisions for interim leadership positions such as Interim National Chairman, Interim National Secretary, and Interim National Publicity Secretary.

“Whether the current Executive Committee of the 1st Defendant ought not to have been dissolved or replaced only through a properly convened National Convention or a valid decision of the National Executive Committee (NEC).

“Whether the 2nd Defendant can lawfully recognise the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants as the Interim National Chairman, Interim National Secretary, and Interim National Publicity Secretary of the lst Defendant, by the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), 2018 (as amended)

“Whether or not the 3rd Defendant’s purported handover of the party’s leadership structure to the newly constituted leadership of the ADC is not a direct violation of the judgment delivered in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/1541/2022 by Hon. Justice BintaNyako on 21st December 2022.”

Upon the determination of the questions, the plaintiffs urged the court to hold that the appointment and nomination of interim leadership for the party “is unconstitutional, unlawful, null and void.”

As well as: “A Declaration that the appointment of the 4th, 5th, and 6th Defendants is inconsistent with and contrary to the combined provisions of the Constitution of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), 2018 (as amended).”

No date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.