APC campaign council says ADC owes staff 12 months' pay, ADC denies it

The All Progressives Congress presidential campaign council has alleged that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) owes its workers more than 12 months' salaries, and asked Nigerians to reject the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the next general elections.

The council's spokesperson, Dele Alake, made the claim in a statement in Abuja on Monday. He said the ADC National Working Committee, which he said is led by Senator David Mark as chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as secretary, had "refused and neglected to pay party staff for over a year."

Alake said it was wrong to keep workers who come to work daily waiting for salaries they depend on, calling it "wicked and reprehensible." He argued that a party seeking to govern Nigeria should be able to manage its own affairs and look after its staff.

The ADC has denied the allegation. In its own statement, its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, dismissed the claim as false and politically motivated, and challenged the APC to produce evidence.

What each side is saying

Alake also attacked Atiku's record as an employer, alleging that staff at Gotel Communication and other businesses linked to the former vice-president went months without pay and protested over unpaid salaries and benefits. He made similar claims about Aregbesola's eight years as governor of Osun State, saying his government introduced quarter-salary and sometimes half-salary payments, and that pensioners were left unpaid for more than four years.

"Reject ADC. Reject Atiku Abubakar and reject all ADC candidates in the next general elections," Alake said.

Abdullahi said the APC should defend its record in government instead of attacking opposition parties. He said the real issues Nigerians care about are the cost of living, unemployment and insecurity.

"If the APC has any credible evidence to support its claims, it should produce it rather than continue to insult Nigerians with fabricated stories masquerading as press statements," he said.

The ADC spokesman also urged Alake, who is Minister of Information, and other APC officials to explain why Nigerians should support another term for the ruling party after three years of economic hardship and insecurity.

Neither side provided documents or figures to back its position in the statements seen by our reporter. The APC's claims about the ADC, Atiku's businesses and Aregbesola's tenure in Osun are allegations that have not been tested in any court.

What happens next

The exchange shows how early the 2027 campaign is shaping up, with the ruling party and the opposition trading words over records rather than policies. For ordinary Nigerians, the arguments point to the issues likely to dominate the race: salaries, pensions, prices and jobs.