Ralph Nwosu, the former National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has revealed that he was offered “three ministerial slots by persons in government” in exchange for declining the use of the ADC as an opposition coalition platform.
This disclosure came as the ADC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) formally handed over the party’s leadership to former Senate President David Mark, who was named interim National Chairman.
At the same meeting, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola was announced as the party’s National Secretary.
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Nwosu provided insights into alleged attempts by “some government officials from All Progressives Congress (APC)” to prevent the formation of the coalition party.
He confirmed that the ADC’s NEC meeting was “monitored by seven officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).”
The ADC officially transformed into the coalition party on July 2.
Speaking at the NEC meeting that formalized the handover to the Mark-led executive, Nwosu stated that “senior government officials promised him three ministerial slots by 2027 if he rejected the idea of using ADC as the coalition party.”
He said, “Some people tried to discourage us with promises of automatic ministerial appointments. They want to give me three ministerial slots so that I can take one and give two to others that I chose.
“But I said no. I chose a democratic future of Nigeria. Nigeria cannot be a one-party state after all we did to ensure that the military was exited from governance and returned to the barracks
“By rejecting the offers, the ADC is now the party with the largest membership. ADC is now the government in waiting, with 28 senators and more than 60 members of the House of Representatives
“ADC grew from one small party to a very large party now. Nigerians have shown that they detest what the party in government is doing right now.”
Nwosu added, “We were worried by the declining fortunes of our democracy. That is why ADC stood strong in navigating the coalition process
“Some of our people are being kidnapped. But we insist on the coalition in the best interest. They use government money to book places for their agents of destabilisation.”
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Nwosu stated that INEC was invited as a “regulatory agency to see the formal handing over of the affairs of the party to the Mark-led interim national executive.”
He explained, “We all made commitments that we are stepping down as NWC and NEC members. We are very careful with the kind of people we are going to choose to lead the party because a single bed person can spoil the whole good job that must have been done.
“Our constitution says all elected members, serving and non-serving, are NEC members. The last NEC meeting gave the NWC mandate to go ahead with the coalition talks.”
Nwosu announced that the party’s membership surged to over three million within just the first two weeks following the coalition’s announcement.
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