ABUJA, Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria – The Grassroots Mobilisation Network, a support group for the African Democratic Congress, issued a statement on Sunday, April 19, 2026, alleging that remarks made by Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu confirm the involvement of the Presidency in the internal crisis affecting the political party.
Okay News reports that the group’s secretary, Idris Bala, released the statement claiming the President’s comments at the Presidential Villa in Abuja suggest he played an active role in the internal challenges facing the party.
Bala said, “President Tinubu, among other things, alleged that former Vice President Atiku wanted to privatise the ADC, but the owners said no. In the same breath, Tinubu advised that as a democrat, people should obey court orders and the law. These statements, coming from the nation’s highest office, are deeply disturbing and troubling. They confirm what Nigerians have long suspected – that the Presidency is behind the ADC crisis and is not a mere spectator but an active player in the troubles rocking viable opposition parties, including the ADC.”
The group stated that the political party is owned by citizens across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, adding that its leadership emerged through processes consistent with the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the 1999 Constitution. The statement aligned with the President regarding the necessity to obey court orders but insisted the party’s actions are guided by respect for the rule of law.
“It is precisely because the ADC respects the rule of law that we reject contrived crises and politically sponsored impostors deployed to destabilise opposition parties,” Bala said.
The statement referenced developments ahead of the 2023 general elections, noting that political actors such as Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso contested elections on different party platforms without alleged interference from the Federal Government. The group called on the judiciary, civil society, and the international community to observe the situation while reaffirming that the party remains united under its recognized leadership.
