- The African Democratic Congress launches nationwide membership drive ahead of the 2027 general elections
- The party leaders pledge to defeat the ruling APC and form a government in 2027
- The party introduced a hybrid registration system, combining online web application and manual registration with each state to receive 50,000 membership cards
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially kicked off a nationwide membership drive, pledging to build strong grassroots support and secure victory in Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
Speaking at the launch event in Abuja on Thursday, February 12, party leaders said the initiative is aimed at strengthening the ADC’s presence across the country and positioning it as a serious contender for government.
The ceremony featured key party figures, including ADC National Chairman Senator David Mark, Registration Committee Chairman Kashim Imam, Deputy Chairperson and Head of the Digital Platform Aisha Yesufu, and National Secretary Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who addressed officials and stakeholders.
Earlier on January 7, the ADC Coalition Party appointed Kashim Imam as Chairman, Aisha Yesufu as Deputy Chairperson, and Dr. Sekonte Davies as Secretary of the Registration Committee. Other members of the committee include Sen. Nurudeen Abatemi, Hon. Yomi Arokodare, Remi Fanibe, Adljat Ojelade, Hon. (Mrs.) Abeje Egwa, Abas Anas Adamu, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, Paul Lawrence Okorie, Dr. Mrs. Esther Irebo, Hon. Abdullahi Maibasira, Sir Stanley Ekezie, Prof. Festus Arunaye, Jibrin Sabo Keana, Hon. Mina Horsfall, Hon. Shehu Mohammed Koko, Chief Gbazuagu Nneke Gbazuagu, and Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.
Expressing confidence in the party’s prospects, Mark said, “What we’re kicking off today is laying a solid foundation for our future success in the ADC. Once you get the cards and start the registration exercise, register anyone who wants to be a member of the ADC.
“For ADC, it is our card, for all ADC members. Whether you are our friend or you are our enemy, as long as you want to register with us and abide by our rules, we will give you our cards.
“All I want to assure you is that ADC is a new bride in town. Everywhere you go, people want to join ADC. They clamour to get the cards. The cards are out now, so we will see what happens. I assure you that in 2027, ADC will form the government, and this is the foundation we are laying today.”
In a keynote titled ‘A Register of Conviction, Not Convenience,’ Aregbesola warned against inflating membership figures artificially.
He stated, “Let me begin with a truth that is uncomfortable but necessary. Across our political landscape, parties have become addicted to the illusion of size. They inflate membership rolls with phantom names, duplicate entries, and invented identities, all to project a strength they do not possess. The registers are fat, but the structures are hollow.
“We must not follow that path. We must resist, with every fibre of our conviction, the temptation to bloat our figures with imaginary people. It does not help us. It does not strengthen us. At the end of such an exercise, all we will have is a token register propped up by a weak structure, impressive on paper, powerless in practice.
“A party of ghosts cannot win elections. A party of ghosts cannot govern. A party of ghosts cannot hold its leaders accountable. And a party of ghosts will, inevitably, be haunted by its own dishonesty.”
Aregbesola further stressed the need for a credible membership register, where every member is real, documented, and verified.
He continued, “The African Democratic Congress does not seek merely to participate in Nigeria’s democracy. We seek to redefine it. We aspire to be the model of democratic sophistication, in our operations, in our internal governance, and in the ownership that every member feels over this institution.
“Democratic sophistication means that our processes are transparent, that our decisions are made through consultation, and that every member, regardless of position, has a voice that is heard and respected. It means that our party constitution is not a document we reference only when convenient, but the supreme law that governs all our affairs.
“Let me say this plainly: we are not only going to seek elections. We are going to govern ourselves effectively first. We will hold ourselves to the same standard of accountability we demand of those in power. If we cannot govern our own party with integrity, what right do we have to ask Nigerians to trust us with their government?
“This means every naira collected must be accounted for. Every decision taken must be explained. Every leader among us must submit to the authority of the party’s structures. No one is above the system. No one is exempt from scrutiny.”
Explaining the registration system, Imam said the party opted against relying solely on a website or app.
“We thought of developing websites, but websites can crash. We also considered developing an app, but many people may not want to download an app just for party registration. So, we came up with what we call a web app,” he explained.
He added that membership cards would be issued only on request to prevent hoarding.
“We are not going to give out cards to be kept and unused. We are putting them on demand. In the interim, we have said that each state will receive 50,000 cards from today so that registration can begin. We want a platform where manual registration goes alongside online registration.
“We are here to demonstrate these two platforms: one, the online registration, and one, the manual registration, which is very important because internet penetration is still low. We do not want to disenfranchise anyone.”
Highlighting the digital platform, Yesufu said it is fast, secure, and tailored to Nigeria’s demographics.
She said, “In terms of registration, it is seamless and quick, completed within a minute or two. It includes a passport picture, and with that, you can access your details. There is also a QR code, so at any time you can retrieve the information of the registered person.”
Yesufu added that voters’ identification numbers are the primary means of verification.