Thirty six State Chairmen of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alongside the Chairman of the Federal Capital Territory, on Thursday held a high level consultative meeting with former presidential candidate and party leader, Mr Peter Obi, in Abuja, as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s national outlook and response to Nigeria’s pressing development challenges.
Among those in attendance was the Kebbi State Chairman of the party, Engr Sufiyanu Bala, who joined his counterparts from across the federation at the closed door engagement convened by Obi at his Abuja office.
The meeting provided a strategic platform for extensive deliberations on critical national and sub national issues, with discussions anchored on firsthand grassroots experiences from different states. Participants reviewed the country’s prevailing socio economic and political conditions and exchanged views on practical, people centred solutions aimed at addressing governance deficits, economic hardship and social inequality.
A major focus of the engagement was the ongoing effort to reposition and strengthen the ADC as a credible and competitive national political platform. The State Chairmen examined strategies for deepening institutional reforms within the party, improving capacity at ward and state levels, and enhancing grassroots mobilisation to broaden the party’s reach and influence.
Discussions also centred on the need to increase the participation of youths and women in party structures and decision making processes, as well as the importance of entrenching transparent and credible internal democratic mechanisms to boost public confidence in the party.
In his remarks, Obi stressed that discipline, integrity, transparency and accountability must remain the defining values of the ADC. He called on party leaders at all levels to embrace issue based politics and to reject ethnicity driven, patronage oriented and personality centred political practices.
According to him, the ADC must consistently prioritise the welfare, dignity and aspirations of Nigerians, adding that people oriented leadership and responsible governance are essential to rebuilding public trust in the political system.
Obi further urged the party’s leadership to maintain ideological clarity and focus on policies that promote inclusive development, economic productivity and social justice, noting that Nigeria’s challenges require principled leadership and collective sacrifice.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, the ADC State Chairmen reaffirmed their commitment to party unity, internal democracy and strategic collaboration. They pledged to work closely together to strengthen the party’s structures nationwide and to present the ADC as a credible alternative capable of addressing the country’s developmental and governance challenges.
The chairmen also underscored the need for sustained engagement with citizens at the grassroots, saying that rebuilding confidence in politics requires consistency, openness and tangible solutions that respond to everyday realities.
The meeting ended on a note of renewed optimism and shared resolve, with participants agreeing to intensify efforts to expand the ADC’s national footprint and position the party as a trusted platform for sustainable development, economic transformation, social equity and national renewal.
