News Investigators/ The Lagos State Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), George Ashiru, says the party’s coalition remains insuppressible and indestructible despite the recent court ruling affecting its leadership.
Mr Ashiru also expressed confidence that Lagos voters would support the party’s presidential candidate, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, and other candidates in the 2027 general elections.
He spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos against the backdrop of the Nov. 5 judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified the David Mark-led leadership and its decisions, including the presidential primary that produced Atiku.
The judgment raised concerns about the status of candidates nominated under the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and their participation in the 2027 elections.
Mr Ashiru, however, said the party would overcome the legal challenge, maintaining that its coalition had continued to withstand opposition from groups within and outside the party.
“Ever since the coalition started, we have been the target of so many different groups, both within the party and outside of the party.
“We’ve had challenges from those who call themselves former legislators of Nigeria, unknown to the party, who wanted to deregister the party. We overcame that.
“Justice Liman in July also gave a favourable judgment that David Mark was duly and properly elected as the interim chairman of the party in July 2025,” he said.
He said the party would challenge the latest judgment through legal channels, expressing confidence that its candidates would participate in the elections.
According to him, the party’s primaries were conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act and through the direct participation of its members.
“We are comfortable that we’re going to be in the ballot. Our primaries were conducted in accordance with the Electoral Act.
“And because it was decided by the members of the party, directly by the members of the party, there is nobody that can then interpret the law to mean that we can’t have our candidates on the ballot.
“So, while legal issues on leadership are continuing, our candidates are definitely going to continue to be on the ballot,” he said.
Mr Ashiru said the party had appealed the judgment and requested a stay of execution, expressing confidence that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would exercise caution before taking action against its candidates.
“All our candidates will be on the ballot. Specific legal cases are different from the idea that all the candidates of a party will not be on the ballot. We will be on the ballot.
“Because, like I said, we fulfilled the principles of the Electoral Act through the entire primary process. And therefore, we know that even INEC will be very circumspect in just removing names of anybody because of a court judgment that we have appealed.
“And we also know that the party has requested for a stay of execution. And so, we will continue,” he said.
The ADC chairman said the legal dispute had not disrupted the party’s presidential campaign, consultations and grassroots mobilisation in Lagos and other states.
“Our campaign has continued, as you can see, and the presidential campaign has continued, and our consultations and grassroots mobilisation is also continuing in Lagos and other states.
“So, we are continuing in the work, and we shall, by the grace of God, be the voice of the people in 2027 through the ballot boxes,” he said.
On the party’s prospects in Lagos, Mr Ashiru expressed confidence that the state would support Atiku, describing it as a cosmopolitan city with a diverse electorate.
“In 2027, of course Lagos will vote Atiku. Nothing is different in Lagos. If you look at the history of presidential elections, Lagos voted Buhari. Buhari is not a Lagosian.
“Lagos voted Goodluck. Goodluck is not a Lagosian. Lagos voted Peter Obi. Lagos is a cosmopolitan city. So, it’s the work you do.
“And 7.5 million voters, many of them young, a lot of them women, not all of them are from one tribe. So, we cut across the whole of Nigeria,” he said.
He argued that Lagos should not be regarded as a politically conquered territory, adding that the party was mobilising support across ethnic and demographic groups.
Mr Ashiru also expressed concern that prolonged legal disputes among political parties could discourage voter participation and increase apathy ahead of the elections.
“This is not new in politics. It’s not unusual. It’s just unfortunate that instead of our various opposition members and the ruling party to focus on driving the interests of the people to the votes, we are creating apathy.
“Because with this sort of attitude going on, trying to legalise elections, it is going to make more people sit at home because they will lose hope, they will be depressed, and they will give up.
“And that’s not the democracy we fought for,” he said.
On the party’s proposed programmes, Mr Ashiru said the ADC was developing a people-centred manifesto that would review policies it considered punitive and prioritise citizens’ welfare.
He identified multiple taxation and excessive borrowing as areas requiring review, while listing security, universal healthcare and education among the party’s priorities.
“The party is in itself building a people-centred manifesto where we are going to adjust policies that are punitive to ensure that people are not going to be penalised because the government is trying to raise money for itself.
“So, these various multiple taxes, this unnecessary borrowing that puts pressure on our budget, there are things that the party will review and focus on more important things.
“Focusing on dealing with this security matter decisively, also focusing on healthcare that’s universal to all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Ashiru also called for increased investment in public education and the digital economy, saying both sectors could strengthen the economy and create employment opportunities for young Nigerians.
He said infrastructure development should be accompanied by policies that generated productive activities and sustainable jobs.
“The digital economy must be invested in so that younger people can generate more employment in this country.
“So, these are prioritisations that are important to us, not just building highways and building infrastructures that, at the end of the day, do not create the right kind of employment opportunities.
“It is a matter of priorities. Our priorities will be different,” Ashiru said.
NAN