‘Stay In ADC, Fight And Scatter Them’ — Tinubu’s Top Aide Gbajabiamila Tells Abejide, Nafiu Bala

Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has called on a Leke Abejide, the ‘suspended’ African Democratic Congress (ADC) member and lawmaker representing Yagba dederal constituency of Kogi State, to remain in the embattled opposition party and work to destabilise its internal coalition.

Gbajabiamila made the remarks at the weekend in Abuja during Abejide’s wedding anniversary, where he openly advised the lawmaker to ignore calls by former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, to defect from ADC to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“I know you to be a committed party man, I know you to be somebody who does not like to be cheated, so my charge to you is to stay in that same ADC, fight them, scatter them. You should hold on to your party ADC, do not allow them, we like what you’re doing,” Gbajabiamila said.

He further urged Abejide to align with fellow ‘suspended’ self-acclaimed national chairman of ADC, Nafiu Bala.

LEADERSHIP reports that Bala is currently in court over the ongoing ADC national chairmanship dispute, which is before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

“I know the former governor said you should come and join APC, no, no, stay in ADC, win your re-election in ADC, and you will. Bring Bala Gombe, and we will support you. Do the right thing, you’re the party, do the right thing, nobody can come and take your party away from you, a party that you built for years with your sweat and your money, and everything; no, continue, good luck in court,” Tinubu’s Chief of Staff added.

The remarks came amid the escalating leadership tussle within the ADC, involving factions led by former Senate President David Mark on one hand and Nafiu Bala on the other hand.

Abejide, who has faced criticism over his alleged anti-party activities, recently reaffirmed his political alignment with President Tinubu while maintaining ties with both the APC and ADC.

Speaking recently on ‘Politics Today’, a current affair programme on Channels Television, the lawmaker had declared, “My heart is in the APC, and in the ADC. It is not a crime, because I have brothers that I cannot separate from who are in the APC, and I cannot separate from them because of politics.”

When asked about his preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential election, Abejide said, “Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and it’s not about party.”

Tensions within the ADC were further heightened last week when Abejide and Gombe jointly led a protest to the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), calling on the electoral body to reject the the Mark-led faction and recognise them as leaders of ADC.

During the protest, Abejide accused the other faction of attempting to hijack the party’s leadership structure in violation of its constitution.

“We are here to urge INEC to do the right thing and rescue democracy from the hands of usurpers. How do you come to a party and attempt to hijack the leadership on the same day? Which political platform is that done? The party constitution is clear about this; you have to spend at least two years in the ADC as an active member before you can aspire for any position. It is clear that the commission has not erred,” he said.

“These people are hijackers, and INEC must follow through on reverting to status quo ante bellum by recognising Nafiu Bala Gombe as the national chairman of the party,” he added.

Corroborating the position, Bala stressed the need for adherence to due process in resolving the party’s leadership dispute.

“We are here to urge INEC to follow due process. You cannot come to the ADC through the window and expect to overturn its owners. As democrats, we don’t want any moneybags to come and destroy democracy. The ADC is for all Nigerians from wards, states to national levels,” he said.

LEADERSHIP reports that the Opposition coalition members had adopted ADC as the platform to contest the 2027 elections before the crisis broke out, a development that has put office-seekers in dilemma and uncertainty given the election timelines.