ADC: We Are Not a Party of Ghosts — Aregbesola

​ABUJA – In a scathing critique of Nigeria’s “addiction to the illusion of size,” the National Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has declared that the party will prioritize membership integrity over the inflated figures common in the country’s political landscape.

​Speaking at the official flag-off of the ADC membership revalidation and registration exercise at the Barcelona Hotel in Abuja, the former Interior Minister warned that a party built on “phantom names” is destined to fail both at the polls and in governance.

​The War Against “Ghost” Members

​Aregbesola’s address was a call to arms against the systemic dishonesty of “bloated” registers. He urged party leaders to resist the temptation to project false strength through imaginary identities.

​”A party of ghosts cannot win elections. A party of ghosts cannot govern,” Aregbesola stated. “And a party of ghosts will, inevitably, be haunted by its own dishonesty.”

​He emphasized that the ADC is not merely looking toward the 2027 general elections but is focused on building a “membership of conviction.” Under the new directive, every registered member must be a verifiable individual who is documented and accounted for, forming what he called the “architecture of trust.”

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​Redefining Democratic Sophistication

​Beyond mere numbers, the ADC National Secretary outlined a vision for a “conscious” membership base. He defined a true party member not as a name in a database, but as an active citizen who pays dues, attends ward meetings, and understands the party’s manifesto.

​Aregbesola challenged the ADC to become a model of internal democracy, where the party constitution remains supreme and every naira is accounted for. He warned against the “island mentality”—the belief that any individual is bigger than the institution—calling it the greatest threat to the party’s mission.

​A Legacy for the Next Generation

​Concluding his address, Aregbesola noted that the ADC’s goal is to govern itself effectively before asking Nigerians for the mandate to govern the nation.

​”We are not building a party for the next election. We are building a party for the next generation,” he said. “A party of two million conscious members will outperform a party of ten million phantoms every single time.”

​The membership drive is expected to continue across all 36 states and the FCT, with a heavy emphasis on training ward officers to maintain rigorous standards of verification.