Hon. Leke Abejide, the only African Democratic Congress (ADC) member in the House of Representatives, has condemned what he describes as an illegal “forceful takeover” attempt of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) by a coalition of politicians led by former Senate President David Mark. Abejide dismissed the coalition’s plan to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 election as “bound to collapse.”
Abejide, who represents Yagba East, Yagba West, and Mopamuro Federal Constituency in Kogi State, was elected to the Green Chamber in both 2019 and 2023 on the ADC platform. He also served as the ADC’s governorship candidate in Kogi State’s 2023 elections.
Speaking at a meeting of the “Critical Stakeholders of the Leke Abejide Political Family” held in Abuja on Friday, Abejide distanced himself from the Coalition ADC and called on his supporters to unite in order to “chase out marauders” from the party.
The gathering included members from multiple parties, such as ADC, All Progressives Congress (APC), and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), representing the three senatorial districts of Kogi State and other regions across Nigeria.
Abejide explained that the meeting was necessary to clarify his party allegiance amid widespread speculation fueled by various groups urging him to join the APC, alongside his vocal support for President Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid. Rumors had questioned whether he had defected to the APC or PDP.
He reaffirmed his loyalty, stating, “As the party’s sole and highest elective officeholder, I remain a member of the original ADC in Kogi State and at the federal level—not the so-called ‘Kangaroo Coalition ADC’ intent on seizing the party.”
Abejide further asserted, “We will join forces to expel political marauders from PDP, Labour Party (LP), and other parties who have formed this coalition within ADC. We’ve observed their actions since their coalition claim; it is clear they aim to hijack party structures, suppress original members, and exploit the party for their own ambitions—a mission doomed to fail.”
He criticized the coalition’s recent activities in Kogi State as “a mockery of democracy,” adding, “Those who came through backdoors now claim leadership of ADC in Kogi State. When we were nurturing and maintaining the party’s structures nationwide and locally, where were they?”
Abejide accused the coalition members of fleeing their original parties only to repeat the same destructive patterns within ADC. “We will not allow them to destroy our party. We intend to pursue legal action, as the highest-ranking NEC member, to challenge the illegality of the so-called Interim National Working Committee,” he declared.
He emphasized that due process requires the NEC to meet and consider resignations and appointments within the National Working Committee—steps that were completely ignored by the coalition. “Everything they have done is null and void and rejected by the original ADC members in Kogi State,” he said.
Looking forward, Abejide announced, “A new coalition will emerge within ADC, alongside other parties, to support President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term. For the naysayers, they are digging their political graves and will fade into oblivion after 2027. We remain the original members of the African Democratic Congress.”
Chief John Fabola, a chieftain of the APC, described the meeting as a deliberate show of support for Abejide across party lines in Kogi State and beyond.
“He has affirmed his steadfast loyalty to APC like a rock of Gibraltar. Whatever steps he chooses to take in the future, he will
