A former senator who represented Osun West at the Senate, Mudashiru Hussein, has criticised the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the party as lacking cohesive leadership, a clear structure, a defined ideology, and a long-term political organisation.
Hussein also berated the ADC’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, over his recent assertion that the defection of governors would not influence President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election prospects or the All Progressives Congress (APC)’s chances in the 2027 general elections.
Aregbesola had earlier referenced the APC’s performance in Lagos State during the 2023 elections, projecting a similar outcome nationwide in 2027.
Reacting in a statement, Hussein, a former ally of Aregbesola in Lagos and Osun states, described the former governor’s remarks as an attempt to undermine Nigeria’s democratic process.
He said, “The claim by the ADC National scribe is selective in interpretation and detached from the historical and practical realities of Nigeria’s political evolution. The sanctity of the people’s vote remains non-negotiable; it is intellectually dishonest to strip elections of the roles played by leadership, structure, ideology, and long-term political organisation, which ADC lacks.
“Democracy thrives on the will of the people, but that will is shaped, mobilised, and protected by credible political leadership. To suggest otherwise is to oversimplify a complex democratic process.”
He noted that the progressive movement was never built on spontaneous popularity but on years of grassroots engagement, policy-driven governance, and disciplined party organisation.
“These elements were central to electoral successes recorded across different levels of government over the years. National elections are decided by aggregate national confidence, not by fragmented local outcomes. Leadership at the centre is earned through vision, experience, and the ability to build broad coalitions across the country, like our mentor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu had led the tendency which produced us.”
Husain further argued that governors and political leaders do not merely control votes, but play strategic roles in stabilising party systems, mobilising citizens, and sustaining democratic institutions, which are roles that cannot be dismissed without undermining the very system that produced past electoral victories.
The erstwhile NPC federal commissioner concluded by urging political leaders and commentators to avoid revisionist narratives and instead focus on deepening democratic culture through constructive engagement, institutional respect, and commitment to the collective political journey that has shaped modern governance in Nigeria.
