Concerned youths of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, in Oyo State have written to the party’s national leadership to save the state chapter from candidate imposition.
In a letter addressed to the party’s national chairman and secretary, David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola respectively, they condemned attempts by some individuals to impose a candidate for the party’s Oyo Central Senatorial District ticket and the House of Representatives ticket for Oyo Federal Constituency.
The letter read:
We write under the umbrella of concerned youth stakeholders and committed members of the African Democratic Congress in Oyo State who remain deeply committed to the growth of our party and the democratic values it represents.
As the party prepares for its forthcoming primary elections scheduled for Friday, 22 May 2026, we feel compelled to draw the urgent attention of the national leadership to disturbing developments within certain quarters in Oyo State where deliberate attempts are allegedly being made to impose preferred candidates on party members, particularly in relation to the party’s Oyo Central Senatorial District ticket and the House of Representatives ticket for Oyo Federal Constituency.
These reports have created growing concerns among party faithful, youth stakeholders and aspirants who have invested time, resources and credibility in building the party’s structure across the state. Of particular concern are alleged attempts to sideline credible aspirants through backdoor arrangements while promoting candidates who are largely unknown to grassroots members and have little or no connection with the struggles and aspirations of the people they seek to represent.
We believe strongly that the strength of any political party lies in its ability to uphold internal democracy. The imposition of candidates undermines trust, discourages genuine party members and damages the credibility of the party before the general public. It also sends the wrong message to young people who are beginning to see the ADC as a genuine alternative platform for transparent and people-driven leadership.
We therefore call on the national leadership of our great party to urgently intervene and ensure that the forthcoming primary election in Oyo State is conducted in a manner that is free, fair, transparent and credible. Every aspirant must be allowed to test their popularity through a legitimate democratic process without interference, manipulation or imposition.
We also urge the national leadership to closely monitor activities in Oyo State and ensure that financial members of the party are allowed to make independent choices based on their convictions and the interest of the party.
This is a defining moment for our party. The decisions made now will shape public confidence in the ADC ahead of future elections. We must not allow avoidable actions to weaken the trust that many Nigerians are beginning to place in our party.
We remain committed members of the ADC and believe that justice, fairness and transparency must prevail.
Signed,
Concerned Youth Stakeholders
African Democratic Congress
Oyo State, Nigeria
