2027: ADC Set To Harvest 21 Senators, 86 Reps In NASS
By Idun Maximus
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is on the verge of benefiting from a wave of defection that will see a large number of federal lawmakers joining its fold.
Already, it’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, has confirmed that discussions are ongoing with several lawmakers across party lines.
According to him, ‘I am aware that several PDP Representatives and Senators plan to join the ADC soon”, he said, without providing specific numbers.
AbeyaNews gathered that a large number of the 10th National Assembly, are set to defect from their various political parties to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
According to multiple sources, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will record the most hit, with about 70%, with the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP), the Labour Party (LP) and the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) sharing the remaining balance of 30%.
As at now, the APC is having majority members in both upper and lower legislative chambers, with arrangements for more to join the broom party underway.
But insider sources privy to top secret meetings held in Abuja and some locations across the weekend, at the instances of leaders of ADC, hinted that discussions were ongoing for a massive harvest for ADC in both chambers.
One of the sources who monitored the meeting held at the instance of the National Chairman, Senator David Mark, in Abuja Sunday night, to collate feedbacks from various locations in the country, confirmed that, about 21 Senators and 86 House of Representatives Members have indicated interests in joining the ADC in the coming weeks; while further meetings would be held this weekend to garner more harvests.
“I can tell you authoritatively that, 86 House of Representatives Members serving in this 10th Assembly and 21 Senators are already with the ADC in principle. They have also appointed one member of Reps as a Anchorman from each state to convince more Members to join.
“In Benue State alone, about 8 Members of the National Assembly are considering leaving the APC for ADC. Six Members from Kano State have so far been recorded with more to come. Borno has a Senator standing by the corner with 4 Reps Members recorded. From the South East, the interest is not that strong for now, only 2 Senators and about 8 Members in total, but more will join in the coming days
“Forget about what you are seeing now. Forget all these people decamping to APC. All the defections happening since last month across some states are part of the arrangements, to harvest more Members of both National and State Legislature, and secure more grassroots supports for the ADC. Even some State Governors under the APC are involved and secretly rooting for this”, the source stated.
Another insider source who was part of the Benue meeting, said, two out of the three Senators and six out of the eleven House of Representatives Members, all of the APC, would soon make their stand known.
“They are all joining the ADC. With what is happening in the country, especially insecurity, no Benue man would want to sincerely risk his chances on the APC ticket. Also, how to even secure a valid and legitimate ticket of APC in Benue is another issue. Before now, there was Akume camp and Governor Alia’s camp of APC. But recently, the Governor’s camp started splitting and now we have 3 camps. So, if a factional chairman clears you for primaries and you emerge eventually, what happens when there’s litigation, either intra party or inter-party?
“The party’s inability to resolve the lingering in-house crises would be the greatest albatross. The APC is its own greatest enemy in Benue and it would soon undo itself. Even the Governor is secretly meeting ADC leaders for possible realignment in 2027”, he said.
A source from Lagos state who also spoke with our reporter confirmed that series of meetings have been held and talks were still ongoing, affirming that two House of Representatives Members are already in the kitty for the ADC, from the APC.
He said the Senator David Mark’s ADC has been holding frequent meetings and with the assurances of automatic tickets and smooth primaries for all serving Members, it would only take few months for the party to sweep half of the National Assembly, adding that Mark has special skill in strategic politicking and national coefficients.
He said, “Senator David Mark’s 8 years as Senate President and his ability to galvanize the National Assembly on a united front in all issues without rancor, is his selling point”, adding that, many young and first time lawmakers who are not sure of their returning tickets have now discovered ADC as a “soft landing spot in 2027”.
