Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has expressed support for the recent decision by a coalition of opposition leaders to adopt the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their official platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with journalists after casting his vote during the Lagos State local government elections in Surulere on Saturday, Gbajabiamila described the move as healthy for democracy, adding that a vibrant opposition is essential to prevent Nigeria from slipping into one-party dominance.
“It’s a welcome development with the coalition. It’s not the first time we are seeing this,” Gbajabiamila stated.
“In every democracy, we must have some level of opposition otherwise we’ll run into a one-party state. But I’m not sure where it would go.”
ADC Gains Prominence as Opposition Unites
Earlier this month, a broad coalition of political heavyweights — including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Nasir El-Rufai — formally adopted the ADC as their platform during a high-level meeting at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
At the event, Ralph Nwosu, the outgoing ADC leader, officially handed over the party’s structure to former Senate President David Mark and ex-Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who were named interim national chairman and national secretary, respectively.
The move aims to position the ADC as a credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the next presidential election.
Gbajabiamila’s reaction signals an openness within the ruling camp to the institutional strengthening of democracy, even as the 2027 political race begins to take shape.
Whether the coalition can maintain unity and mount a formidable challenge remains to be seen — but for now, their new home in the ADC has sparked national political realignment.
