ADC promises that at least half of all its appointees and elected officials will be women and youth

LEADERS of Nigeria's new opposition coalition the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have promised that if elected into office in 2027 they will ensure that at least half of all political appointments go to women and youth.

With Nigeria due to go to the polls in two years time, the race for the 2027 presidential election is already heating up. Incumbent, President Bola Tinubu is expected to go for a second term and two of the contestants who stood against him in 2023, former Anambra State governor Peter Obi and ex-vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, are among the leaders of this new ADC alliance.

Come 2027, the ADC is expected to try and unite the opposition against President Tinubu's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and turn the presidential election into a two-horse race. Former Osun State governor and ex-interior minister Rauf Aregbesola, the ADC general secretary, has promised that at least 50% of all elective and appointive offices with go to women and the young if the ADC gets elected into office.

Speaking in Lagos under the theme When Good People Unite, Nigerians Win, Mr Aregbesola described the ADC as a youth-driven party committed to offering Nigerians a credible alternative. He explained that the party’s constitution explicitly guarantees 35% representation for women and another 35% for youths, ensuring that their combined presence in leadership structures will never fall below 50%.

Mr Aregbesola said: “This is not tokenism but a recognition that Nigeria’s future lies in giving voice, space and power to those who have long been underrepresented. Our mission is to build a nation that future generations will be proud to inherit, as leadership must meet the basic needs of the people or it will collapse with time."

He added that the ADC is not controlled by an individual but by a collective of patriotic citizens determined to rebuild Nigeria. Mr Aregbesola  criticised the hardship and uncertainty confronting the nation, warning that any government that fails to prioritise citizens’ welfare risks losing legitimacy.

Furthermore, Mr Aregbesola  urged party members to strengthen the ADC’s grassroots base rather than waste energy attacking political rivals. According to him, both the APC and the main opposition the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have lost direction and reduced themselves to power-seeking platforms.