The continued stay of Engr. Yabagi Sani as National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) is no longer tenable.
His recent actions constitute the most heinous crime against the party, its presidential candidate, Amb. Aliyu bin Abbas and the entire membership.
On Aug. 30, 2026, Engr. Sani appeared on Symphony TV and made a reckless and damaging declaration.
The anchor asked him who among the presidential candidates for the 2027 general elections he would support.
He openly gave his backing to former Vice President Abubakar Atiku, saying Atiku is the only one that brings out money. Atiku is the Presidential Candidate of ADC.
He said, “Only Atiku is out for a serious engagement. The rest are pretenders. They are not contenders.
“He comes out with his resources, not so much noise making to ensure that he gets this power.”
Even when the anchor reminded him that such a statement was against his own party and its candidate, he stood by it. He doubled down.
By that single interview, the National Chairman demarketed the ADP, ridiculed its presidential candidate and openly endorsed a candidate of another party.
What greater anti-party activity can there be than a chairman telling Nigerians that his own party is not serious?
This is a clear violation of Articles 52.2 and 12.1(b) of the ADP Constitution, which mandate every member to propagate the aims and objectives of the party. Instead of promoting the party, Engr. Sani brought it to public ridicule.
It is even more unfortunate and worrisome that after this shameful interview, no member of the National Working Committee (NWC) has challenged it, debunked it or issued a press release to distance the party from the chairman’s anti-party comments.
Similarly, the umbrella body of political parties in Nigeria, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and the presidential candidates described as being unserious have kept mute.
The silence is deafening and suggests a party held hostage by one man.
The offence committed by Engr. Sani is not a minor slip of tongue. It is gross misconduct, a brazen act of anti-party activity capable of bringing the ADP into disrepute and truncating its chances in the 2027 general elections.
How can party faithful across the country campaign for a presidential candidate that his own National Chairman has dismissed as a pretender?
Since the formation of the ADP in 2017, Engr. Sani has remained chairman. He has turned a democratic institution into a personal estate.
Democracy is not monarchy. The party has failed to grow, has lost founding members and has failed to win significant offices because of this one-man leadership style.
For the interest of the party, its members and its future, disciplinary action must be taken immediately.
Engr. Yabagi Sani must be removed from office. The ADP needs a leadership that believes in the party, that will promote its candidates and that will restore confidence among members.
The party cannot go into 2027 with a chairman who is already campaigning for another party.
Tijjani is the Northwest Zonal Secretary of ADP
