Yabagi Yusuf Sani, national chairman, Action Democratic Party (ADP) has broken his silence on the internal crisis rocking the party. In this exclusive interview with AKOMBO AONDONA and GIFT WADA, Sani addressed the controversy surrounding the emergence of Ambassador Aliyu Abbas as presidential candidate, allegations of a secret pact with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and the party’s blueprint for survival in a high-stakes election. Excerpts:
There is controversy surrounding Ambassador Aliyu Abbas’s emergence as ADP’s presidential candidate for 2027. What is the party’s position?
Let me be clear, the ADP is not run by sentiment, it is run by a constitution. We are a party of rules, not of whims. As national chairman, my duty is to protect the integrity of our constitution and ensure every action we take — including candidate nomination — aligns fully with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Electoral Act 2026, and INEC guidelines. I will not litigate internal party processes on the pages of newspapers. Our institutions exist for that purpose, and they will do their work.
Is Ambassador Abbas eligible and qualified to fly the ADP flag?
Eligibility is not determined by commentary; it is determined by law. The Constitution, the Electoral Act, and our party constitution set clear thresholds for qualification and nomination. Any candidate who meets those thresholds and emerges through lawful, constitutional processes has a right to aspire. My job is to ensure we present to Nigerians candidates who are credible, competent, and capable of winning trust, not just tickets.
The perception is that the national leadership is not fully behind its own presidential candidate. Is that true?
Leadership is not about perception; it is about principle. I lead an institution, not a faction.
The ADP is larger than any individual, including myself. My responsibility is to safeguard the collective interest of the party, defend its constitution, and ensure we remain compliant with the law. Any candidate who is validly nominated within that framework will have the full weight of the party behind him.
Are you saying that the emergence of Ambassador Aliyu Abbas as ADP presidential candidate was not in the best interest of the party leadership?
Well, you can look at our party constitution and Electoral Act and find out yourself. I just tell you and I have nothing more than that to tell you.
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There is strong speculation about a political alignment between you and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. Are you planning to surrender the ADP to him?
This narrative is completely false and I reject it unequivocally.
I am the founding national chairman of the ADP. Since 2017, I have invested my time, resources, and political capital to build this party as a credible, independent alternative for Nigerians. My loyalty is to the ADP and to the ideals that birthed it. In a democracy, leaders consult, that is healthy. But consultation should not be misinterpreted as capitulation.
I have not entered into, nor will I enter into, any personal arrangement to trade off the ADP’s identity or mortgage its presidential ticket to Atiku Abubakar or any other political figure.
Let me state this for the record: No individual, not even the national chairman, has the power to determine the political future of the ADP. Any alliance, merger, or cooperation must be debated and approved by the constitutional organs of the party. That is what institutional democracy means.
How would you describe your relationship with Ambassador Abbas and the state of unity in the party?
As chairman, I have a duty to all members, without bias or favoritism. My relationship with every member is guided by respect for our constitution and commitment to our common goal.
Political parties must not be reduced to extensions of personalities. They must function as institutions. We have internal mechanisms for resolving differences, and I am committed to using them rather than engaging in public acrimony. Our focus remains unity, internal democracy, and building the organizational muscle to compete and win in 2027.
Why has the party not constituted its Presidential Campaign Council?
Because we are not interested in a hastily assembled, media-driven council. We want a council that can win. A winning campaign requires structure, strategy, and substance. We are strengthening our ward, local government, and state chapters simultaneously because the presidency is not won in isolation. We are building from the grassroots up.
At the appropriate time, the relevant party organs will announce the composition and inauguration of the Council in line with our constitution.
What is the ADP’s grand strategy for 2027?
Our strategy is simple: present a disciplined, people-centered alternative at a time Nigerians are desperate for one. Nigerians are tired of politics of patronage and personal ambition. They want competence, accountability, and productivity. We are mobilising from the grassroots, opening our doors wider to women, youths, and persons with disabilities, and anchoring our message on what truly matters, industrialisation, agricultural transformation, job creation, technology, and support for SMEs. Nigeria must pivot from a rent-seeking, oil-dependent, consumption economy to a productive, diversified economy. That is the ADP agenda. We understand the dominance of big parties and the corrosive role of money politics, but democracy dies when alternative voices are silenced. We are not just contesting to participate; we are building an enduring institution to shape governance.
That’s right. So how do you assess INEC’s readiness for 2027?
The 2027 election will be judged not by INEC’s promises, but by its performance. Four things must happen: One, voter registration must be genuinely accessible and inclusive. Two, logistics must work, Nigerians should not be punished with late arrival of materials. Three, technology must guarantee transparency, from accreditation to result transmission and publication. And four, INEC must be demonstrably impartial, no preferential treatment, no selective application of rules.
Add to that the responsibility of security agencies to protect voters, not intimidate them.
Ultimately, credible elections are not about gadgets, they are about institutional integrity. Nigerians must go to bed on election night believing their votes counted.
What is your message to Nigerians battling economic hardship and insecurity?
The message is that 2027 is not just another election cycle, it is a referendum on the kind of leadership Nigeria deserves. We are a nation blessed beyond measure, yet our people are crushed by poverty, unemployment, inflation, and insecurity. The removal of petrol subsidy, exchange rate volatility, and soaring energy costs have pushed families and businesses to the edge. Reform is necessary, but reform without a human face is failure. You cannot celebrate macroeconomic gains on paper while Nigerians cannot afford food, transport, school fees, and healthcare. On security, there is no greater duty of government than protection of lives and property. We need a complete overhaul of our security architecture — better intelligence, modern equipment, inter-agency coordination, and accountability.
Above all, Nigeria needs leadership driven by integrity, competence, and service — not by entitlement and personal enrichment.
You often warn about money politics. How dangerous is it?
It is the single greatest threat to our democracy today. When offices are auctioned to the highest bidder, governance is auctioned with them.
We must also kill the false narrative that ethnicity and religion should determine leadership. Hunger does not know tribe. Insecurity does not know religion. Unemployment does not discriminate by region. So, our solutions must be national and inclusive. My appeal to young Nigerians is direct: Your future will not be given to you, you must claim it. Register to vote. Join a party. Demand accountability. Do not sell your vote for crumbs that will keep you hungry for four years. And to the political class: Put Nigeria first. Election should not be about who controls the treasury, but who has the vision to replenish it. I remain optimistic. With the right leadership, honest, competent, and visionary, Nigeria can be secure, prosperous, and globally respected. In 2027, the question must not be who has the deepest pocket or the longest political CV. The question must be: Who has the integrity and capacity to change the lives of ordinary Nigerians? That is the standard.
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