Former AD Chieftains Meet In Abuja, Reflect On Nigeria’s Future

Former leaders and founding members of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) on Saturday met in Abuja where they reflected on their contributions to the nation’s democratic development and discussed the future of governance in the country.

The gathering, hosted by the national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, brought together former AD stalwarts and colleagues for a reunion aimed at rekindling old relationships, honouring past sacrifices, and strengthening networks built during the struggle for democracy.

Dickson, who served as a founding state chairman of the AD and later as its national legal adviser, said the meeting was not convened to discuss partisan politics or any possible alliance between the AD and NDC but described it as an opportunity for former members to reconnect after many years apart.

He said many of those present made significant sacrifices during the formative years of Nigeria’s current democratic dispensation, travelling under difficult conditions and helping to build political structures at a time when financial influence was not the driving force in politics.

Dickson said the organisers intend to build on the initiative by convening broader consultations in the future to enable former AD members to continue engaging on issues relating to Nigeria’s democratic growth.

“The AD taught us how to be in opposition. The AD taught us resilience,” Dickson said, recalling the mentorship and political experience he and other members gained from the party.

“What had helped me in my political journey was what I got from the AD, the resilience,” he said, adding that the political generation of that era was driven largely by values.

Speaking on behalf of the former AD leaders, Prof Udenta Udenta said the reunion was less about the defunct party and more about the people who shaped its history and played vital roles in Nigeria’s democratic struggle.

He paid tribute to prominent AD figures, including Abraham Adesanya, Ayo Adebanjo, Olaniwun Ajayi and Bola Ige, whose sacrifices, he said, helped lay the foundation for the country’s democratic system.

Udenta described the gathering as the beginning of a wider consultation process among former AD members, stressing that discussions were not centred on any coalition with the NDC or other political parties, especially as former AD members are now spread across different political platforms.

“Our immediate objective is to reconnect, identify members who are still alive, and revive the networks that sustained us during the party’s formative years,” he said.