ADC: The Promiscuous Bride With Several Husbands, By Ademola Lawrence

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has become the latest political shelter for Nigeria’s restless power-seekers—men who have traversed multiple political beds without once settling to build a real ideological home.

A party originally floated as an alternative to the corrupt mainstream has now morphed into a hollow vessel—promiscuous in its alliances and uncertain in its convictions.

From all indications, the ADC is no longer a political party driven by values or long-term vision. It is now a makeshift coalition—a tent pitched in desperation by presidential hopefuls who have repeatedly failed under other platforms but are once again dreaming of 2027. In its current form, the ADC resembles a politically polyandrous entity—torn between too many men with too many conflicting ambitions.

The ongoing drama playing out in the party—legal tussles over its leadership, complaints from longstanding members, and public disagreements over its new direction—bears a striking resemblance to a biblical allegory.

In the Book of John 4:16–19, Jesus encounters a woman at the well: “Go, call your husband and come back.”


“I have no husband,” she replied.


Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband.”
“Sir,” the woman said, “I perceive that You are a prophet.”

This moment was not merely about morality, but about truth—a revelation of how pretence and instability can define a person, or in this case, a political party. Just as Jesus unmasked the woman’s complex past, the ADC must now confront its own confusion: Who truly leads this party? What is its identity? How many political “husbands” does it intend to entertain?

Let’s examine the major power-seekers currently eyeing the ADC’s crumbling altar.

Atiku Abubakar: The Restless Aspirant

Since 2007, Atiku Abubakar has tried every political route to Aso Rock, with zero success. From the Action Congress (AC) to the PDP and APC, he has demonstrated a pattern: jump ship, contest, and move on. Despite his seniority in Nigeria’s political space, he’s become more of a career aspirant than a serious institution builder.

Obasanjo once famously described him as a mistake. In his words: “One of the mistakes I made was picking my Number Two. But because it was a genuine mistake, God saved me.”

That sentiment, repeated in interviews and memoirs, underscores a lack of faith even from his former boss. Atiku’s decision to court ADC now is nothing new—it’s just another platform to hijack and discard.

Peter Obi: The Pretend-People’s Politician

Peter Obi’s journey is both inspiring and ironic. A former APGA governor who vowed never to leave the party, he’s now been part of at least three major parties. After 2019’s failed ticket with Atiku, he defected to the Labour Party in 2023 and sparked a youth-led political wave that stunned the establishment.

But the same Obi is now flirting with yet another platform, ADC, raising questions about his long-term political loyalty. His message remains powerful—but coalition politics is a different game. It requires strategy, compromise, and depth beyond charisma.

Nasir El-Rufai: The Technocrat-Turned-Troublemaker

Brilliant but brash, El-Rufai has built a reputation as a disruptive force—sometimes to the detriment of his allies. Though a key player in the APC’s zoning argument that helped deliver power to the South in 2023, he has since turned his back on the Tinubu administration after being rejected for a ministerial appointment.

Obasanjo’s words from My Watch capture him well:

“Pathological in reputation savaging… loyal only to himself.”

Today, he positions himself as a voice of the opposition, yet it’s unclear whether he has any real grassroots political capital left. If he joins ADC, will it be to build—or to bulldoze?

Rotimi Amaechi: 24 Years in Power, Nothing To Show For It

No one can accuse Amaechi of inexperience. With 24 unbroken years in public office—8 years each as Speaker, Governor, and Minister—his résumé is solid. But his record in actual electoral delivery is weak.

In 2015 and 2019, Rivers State remained out of APC’s reach despite his national role. In 2023, he lost the APC primaries to Tinubu and became politically dormant. He recently declared that he’s “hungry”—a revealing comment from someone who’s enjoyed uninterrupted government appointments since 1999.

ADC: A Political Polygamy in Crisis

Amid these conflicting ambitions stands the ADC—confused, cornered, and collapsing. With each new defector or suitor, its identity gets blurrier. Former presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu has already raised alarms, accusing the new wave of hijackers of betraying the party’s core values.

There are now lawsuits flying over the rightful leadership of the party, while the grassroots membership feels alienated. This is not coalition building; this is political looting of an empty vessel.

Final Thoughts

Can a house with too many husbands ever stand? Can ADC survive the weight of its suitors’ egos? Will it choose one man—or collapse under the burden of all?

In politics, successful alliances are built on ideology, trust, and clarity. Unfortunately, what we see here is an ambition-fueled scramble that mimics the woman at the well—pretending not to have any husband, yet entangled with many.

Until the ADC stops being a bride courted by every man with a presidential dream, it will remain just that: a promiscuous bride—used, discarded, and ultimately forgotten.

Ademola Lawrence is a Nigerian journalist based in Abuja

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