The African Democratic Congress has inaugurated a National Reconciliation and Peace Committee to address grievances arising from its recent primaries and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Inaugurating the committee in Abuja on Wednesday, the National Chairman of the party, David Mark, said the initiative was aimed at healing wounds, rebuilding trust and ensuring that all members remained valued and included in the party’s political structure.
The ADC primary elections held in May, as well as their outcomes and the list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission, elicited mixed reactions among party members, leading to disaffection among some party leaders.
Mark acknowledged that although the primaries produced winners, they also generated disappointments and grievances among some aspirants and their supporters.
He urged successful aspirants to see their victories as a responsibility and not an opportunity to sideline their former opponents, stressing that unsuccessful candidates remained valuable to the party.
The chairman said the ADC’s priority was to build a united and disciplined platform ahead of the 2027 elections, adding that the reconciliation committee would engage aggrieved members, address their concerns and rebuild trust.
He also directed the committee to establish zonal sub-committees for continuous engagement and urged party leaders and members to support the process by promoting peace, fairness and unity within the party.
“There must be no internal sabotage. No politics of revenge. No permanent winners and no permanent losers. We are one political family,” he said.
Mark said the ADC could not afford to go into the 2027 general elections as a divided party, urging members to respect democratic processes and settle disagreements without undermining the party.
He appealed to aggrieved members to embrace reconciliation, while urging successful candidates to extend a hand of fellowship to their former opponents and unsuccessful aspirants to remain committed to the party.
The chairman described the reconciliation exercise as an opportunity for the ADC to promote the values of the Nigeria it seeks to build, where differences are managed maturely, diversity respected and disputes resolved peacefully.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its chairman, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, said members understood the challenges before them and were committed to listening to grievances, healing wounds and rebuilding trust within the party.
Ogbeha acknowledged that the primaries and other political processes had created some injuries across the states but expressed confidence that they could be resolved.
He urged members to put Nigeria first, followed by the party, and individual interests last, assuring that the committee would uphold justice, transparency and fairness in its engagements.
The chairman of the ADC Reconciliation Committee urged aggrieved aspirants and their supporters to remain patient and committed to the party, stressing that those who lost the 2027 tickets would have opportunities to contest in future elections.
“We are going to be honest. We are going to be transparent and, as much as possible, do the best we can to reconcile our party,” Ogbeha said.
Ogbeha assured the party leadership that the committee would carry out its mandate diligently, placing the interests of Nigeria and the ADC above individual ambitions.
The committee is headed by Ogbeha, with Senator Oserheimen Osunbor as deputy chairman. Other members include Dr Ahmad Ajuji, Barrister Musa Elayo, Senator Andrew Uchendu, Dr Bon Unachukwu, Mr Kunle Ige, Hon. Hajia Rabi Sule and Hon. Abubakar Kanike, while Peter Oyewale, Esq., serves as secretary and Isaac Dare Oketade as deputy secretary.
The committee will also collaborate with six zonal legal advisers to coordinate its activities and engagements across the respective zones.
Hafsoh Isiaq is a graduate of Linguistics. An avid writer committed to creative, high-quality research and news reportage. She has considerable experience in writing and reporting across a variety of platforms including print and online.
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