The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has welcomed the opposition coalition’s adoption of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a positive development for Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking to journalists shortly after voting on Saturday in the Lagos State local government elections, Rt. Hon. Gbajabiamila noted that the move would prevent Nigeria from becoming a one-party state and promote democratic diversity.
Gbajabiamila expressed optimism about the development, stating that it would foster a more competitive and inclusive political landscape. “It’s a welcome development with the coalition.
”In every democracy, we must have some level of opposition otherwise we’ll run into a one-party state,” he said.
The Chief of Staff who also casted his vote in the Lagos State local government elections, described the process as peaceful, quiet, and free and fair.
He however, expressed disappointment over the low voter turnout, emphasising the need to educate citizens about the importance of grassroots government and local government elections.
“We need to sensitise our people. We need to educate them about the importance of grassroots government.
”There’s a general low turnout from what I’ve seen, perhaps because people don’t understand fully the importance of local government elections, ” he said.
The opposition coalition, which includes prominent figures such as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Labour Party’s Peter Obi, and former governors Nasir El-Rufai and Rotimi Amaechi, adopted the ADC as their platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027.
