Veteran journalist and publisher, Dele Momodu, has cautioned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to urgently enforce internal discipline to prevent a repeat of the internal crises that weakened the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), warning that unchecked aggression could derail the opposition coalition’s ambitions.
Momodu in a statement recalled that he was present in Abuja last year when members of various opposition political parties converged to adopt the ADC as a common platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to him, the meeting was marked by assurances from the conveners that the party would be open, democratic, and disciplined, with no individual or group allowed to destabilise it.
He said participants were not coerced into joining the coalition and were promised a party structure that would uphold democratic principles. Momodu noted that he was particularly encouraged by the emergence of former Senate President and retired army general, David Mark, as chairman, expressing confidence that his leadership style would not tolerate disorder.
However, Momodu lamented that recent developments within the coalition suggest a drift from those founding ideals. He observed that some groups have begun to introduce what he described as aggression and unruly behaviour into what was meant to be a cooperative and collaborative political arrangement.
Questioning the sustainability of such conduct, Momodu asked how a coalition could succeed if certain factions insist on producing the party’s top ticket through “donation and coronation” rather than through elections, persuasion, and consensus.
He also criticised the growing exchange of insults and hostility among groups, warning that no single faction can win a national election without broad-based support.
Drawing parallels with the PDP’s past struggles, Momodu warned that this was how former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, was able to exert overwhelming influence within the party for years, eventually making corrective action difficult.
He urged the ADC leadership to act swiftly to enforce discipline and preserve unity, stressing that the party should be built on mutual respect and inclusiveness rather than constant conflict.
“The ADC should be a party of love,” Momodu said, cautioning that failure to act now could turn the coalition into what he described as “a house of commotion,” to the detriment of its political objectives.
