Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has described the adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by a coalition of opposition parties as a positive development for Nigeria’s democracy, saying it prevents the risk of a one-party state.
Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, made the remarks after voting in the Lagos State local government elections at Polling Unit 014, Elizabeth Fowler Memorial High School, Surulere, on Saturday.
“It’s a welcome development with the coalition. It’s not the first time we’re seeing this,” he told journalists. “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.”
The opposition coalition, comprising prominent figures from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and Social Democratic Party (SDP), had earlier formalized their alliance at a meeting in Abuja, adopting the ADC as their platform ahead of the 2027 general elections. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, ex-governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, among others, attended the event.
Meanwhile, Gbajabiamila expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the Lagos council polls but lamented the low voter turnout.
“So far, I’ve seen peace, a free and fair election. But I’m a bit disappointed about the turnout, which is where we need to work on,” he said. “Perhaps people don’t fully understand the importance of local government elections, which are even more critical than other elections. We need to sensitize and educate them about grassroots governance.”
He arrived at the polling unit at 12:28 pm and voted three minutes later, noting that the exercise was orderly without any disruptions.
The Chief of Staff emphasized the need for civic engagement, urging Nigerians to participate more actively in local elections, which directly impact community development. His comments come amid growing political realignments as opposition parties strategize to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election cycle.
