A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Kogi State political activist, Comrade Usman Austin Okai, has urged key opposition figures in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to immediately defect to the ADC following recent legal setbacks confronting the party.

In a statement issued on Monday in Abuja, Okai called on members of the PDP Governors’ Forum still aligned with the party, particularly Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, as well as the Turaki-led faction within the PDP, to leave the party ahead of the forthcoming ward congresses.

Okai said the ongoing legal battles surrounding the PDP’s leadership structure have created deep uncertainty capable of jeopardising the political ambitions of aspirants preparing for the 2027 general elections.

His appeal follows a Court of Appeal ruling delivered on March 9, 2026, which upheld the injunction of a Federal High Court restraining the recognition of the PDP’s controversial national convention held in Ibadan.

According to Okai, the judgment signals serious legal risks for politicians who intend to contest elections on the PDP platform.

“The Court of Appeal’s affirmation of the injunction against the Ibadan convention indicates the likely direction of the Supreme Court,” he said.

“There is a strong possibility that party primaries will be concluded before the Supreme Court makes a final determination. If the convention is eventually nullified, every candidate produced under that structure could automatically lose legitimacy.”

He warned that remaining in the PDP under the current circumstances poses a significant political gamble for those with ambitions in the next electoral cycle.

Okai maintained that the ADC is strategically positioned to provide a viable platform for opposition politicians seeking an alternative amid the PDP’s internal crisis.

He described the current situation in the PDP as a “lost cause,” arguing that continued participation in the party could indirectly strengthen the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The fate of the PDP ahead of 2027 has been largely determined by these legal entanglements,” he said.

“No serious contender who truly wants to win will remain in that situation. Anyone who does may end up serving as APC by proxy. If the opposition must defeat the ruling party, there must be consolidation around a credible platform, and the ADC offers that opportunity.”

Okai also called on members of the Turaki-led faction and grassroots supporters across the country to mobilise and register with the ADC ahead of its planned ward congresses.

He stressed that building a strong opposition coalition would require early organisation and mass participation in the party’s internal processes.

“We are inviting all progressives across the country to join the ADC ahead of the ward congresses,” he said.

“That is the only way to build a formidable alternative capable of challenging the ruling party. If we truly want to rescue the country, we must unite and act now.”

The PDP has been embroiled in a prolonged leadership crisis since its national convention held in Ibadan on November 15–16, 2025, which has been challenged in court. (LEADERSHIP)

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