By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has charged all its aggrieved members to put the interest of the party ahead of personal grievances just as it appealed to winners to be magnanimous in victory.
The National Chairman of the party, Sen. David Mark gave the charge on Tuesday at the party’s Secretariat, Abuja during the inauguration of a 12-member National Reconciliation and Peace Committee to resolve grievances arising from its recently concluded primaries and strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In his address, Mark said that the committee was established to “heal wounds, rebuild trust and ensure that every member of the ADC feels valued and carried along” following the disputes generated by the primaries.
He acknowledged that while the primaries produced candidates for various elective positions, they also left some aspirants and their supporters disappointed and aggrieved.
According to him, “an election may determine who carries the flag, but it must never determine who belongs to the party,” stressing that unsuccessful aspirants remained valuable assets to the ADC.
He urged successful candidates to see their victories as a responsibility rather than a licence to exclude or marginalise those who contested against them.
“Our real challenge is not the ADC member who contested against you. Our real challenge is to build a united political platform capable of winning the confidence of Nigerians in 2027,” he said.
The chairman said the committee was constituted in accordance with Article 9.1 of the ADC Constitution, while its reconciliation mandate was anchored on the party’s commitment to democracy, inclusion, justice, consultation and its “Handshake Philosophy.”
He charged the committee to engage aspirants, candidates, party leaders and other stakeholders in constructive dialogue, identify legitimate grievances, address concerns and rebuild confidence among members.
The committee is also expected to promote responsible communication, discourage inflammatory statements and unnecessary litigation, and recommend measures for integrating unsuccessful aspirants and their supporters into the party’s structures.
It will further establish zonal sub-committees for continuous engagement, monitoring and follow-up and recommend other measures considered necessary for promoting harmony, unity and the overall strength of the party.
The chairman urged the committee to discharge its duties with fairness, neutrality, maturity, sincerity and confidentiality.
He also appealed to state chairmen, zonal coordinators, candidates, aspirants, elected representatives and other party leaders to support the reconciliation process.
“Everyone must become an ambassador of reconciliation. There must be no internal sabotage. No politics of revenge. No permanent winners and no permanent losers. We are one political family,” he said.
He stressed that the ADC could not afford to approach the 2027 elections as a divided organisation, noting that the party must coordinate its structures, respect democratic processes and resolve internal differences without destroying the institution.
“The ADC is bigger than any individual, aspirant, candidate or office,” he said.
The chairman called on aggrieved members to give reconciliation a chance, while urging successful candidates to extend a hand of fellowship to their former opponents.
He also appealed to unsuccessful aspirants to remain committed to the party’s broader vision, urging leaders to lead by example.
Responding on behalf of the committee, its chairman, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, said members were aware of the enormous responsibility entrusted to them and would do everything possible to achieve the objectives of the assignment.
Ogbeha said the committee would listen to the grievances of members, seek reconciliation, heal wounds and rebuild trust within the party.
He acknowledged that injuries might have been caused by the primaries and other internal processes across the states but expressed optimism that the issues could be resolved in the interest of the party.
He appealed to aggrieved members to make sacrifices for the ADC, arguing that the party’s interest must take precedence over individual ambitions.
“Our responsibility is not just healing wounds. Our responsibility is to ensure that we achieve our objective of changing the narrative in Nigeria by winning the next election,” Ogbeha said.
He urged both aggrieved and non-aggrieved members to put Nigeria first, followed by the party, and place individual interests last.
The former senator assured the party leadership that the committee would pursue justice, reconciliation and peace with diligence, transparency and honesty.
He also appealed to aggrieved aspirants to be tolerant, reminding them that losing an election would not end their political careers because other opportunities would arise.
“This election is not going to be the last. It’s not going to be the first. If we don’t succeed in what we are looking for this time around, four years is not too long. There will be another opportunity to present yourself,” he said.
Ogbeha pledged that the committee would uphold the oath taken by its members and work to ensure that the interest of the ADC superseded individual interests.
The committee is chaired 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, Hajia Rabi Sule and Hon. Abubakar Kanike.
Barr. Peter Oyewale serves as Secretary, while Isaac Dare Oketade is Deputy Secretary. Six zonal legal advisers will also liaise with the committee in their respective zones.
