Renowned socio-political activist and vocal advocate for democratic reform, Aisha Yesufu, has called on the newly unveiled African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition to prioritize the meaningful inclusion of women and youth in critical leadership and policy-making roles.
Her remarks follow the coalition’s recent unveiling in Abuja, which marked the beginning of its mission to challenge the current administration in the 2027 general elections.
The official unveiling, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja, was a high-level gathering that showcased a major restructuring within the ADC. During the event, the party’s founder and pioneer National Chairman, Dr. Ralph Nwosu, announced a significant leadership transition, revealing that key figures within the party had voluntarily stepped aside to make way for new leadership.
“We all decided to resign so that Mark can paddle this canoe and get us to the Villa,” Nwosu declared, emphasizing the collective determination within the party to rebrand and refocus its political mission. He added that the goal of the new coalition is to wrest power from President Bola Tinubu’s administration and present a credible alternative in 2027.
As part of this new leadership arrangement, former Senate President David Mark was appointed to head the coalition. Assisting him is former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who will serve as the coalition’s Secretary.
The pair are expected to lead the opposition movement towards unifying progressive political forces and crafting a strong strategy ahead of the presidential elections.
Reacting to the developments on her X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, Aisha Yesufu, a prominent supporter of Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, challenged the ADC to go beyond symbolic gestures when it comes to inclusion.
She criticized the tendency of political platforms to relegate women and young people to token positions such as “women leader” or “youth leader,” without real power in decision-making.
“Dear Coalition (ADC), women leader and youth leader positions cannot be what is reserved for women and youths,” Yesufu wrote. “You see this table full of older generation men cannot be the only ones allowed to make decisions as we move forward.”
She continued her passionate appeal, stating that women and youth must be fully embedded in the heart of political decision-making structures, not included as an afterthought. “Women and youths must be in the midst of decision-making and not as an afterthought in the form of tokenism,” she asserted.
Yesufu also used the opportunity to mobilize young Nigerians and women to become more actively involved in political processes, urging them to seize this moment and take up leadership roles across board.
“Dear women and youths, this is the time for the numbers. You have to be heard loud and clear. Join! Be part of the leadership! Be part of the delegates. Be part of floor members. Overwhelm for good! Bring in ideas from out of the box,” she emphasized.
Her statement has since sparked wider conversations across social media, as citizens, particularly the youth demographic, discuss the need for genuine representation and dynamic leadership in shaping the country’s future.
The unveiling of the ADC coalition signals the beginning of what many observers believe could be a strong opposition movement ahead of the 2027 elections. However, as Aisha Yesufu and other civic voices have made clear, the effectiveness of this coalition may well depend on how inclusive and forward-thinking its leadership structure proves to be.
