According to a report by Daily Post on Monday, March 30, 2026, the current ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Nigeria is being characterised by Senator David Mark, the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as the party that presents the greatest danger to multiparty democracy in the country.
Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, a former national leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), was welcomed into the ADC by Mark during an occasion where he made the statement.
He thinks these events couldn’t have come at a worse time, since Nigeria ought to be seeing efforts to strengthen its democratic institutions rather than measures to weaken opposition groups.
Mark voiced his worry that the ruling party is doing things that could make it harder for the opposition to be heard across the nation, rather than encouraging healthy political competition.
His argument was that these moves constitute an assault on democracy rather than just political strategy.
A healthy democratic system depends on the capacity of all parties to engage openly and successfully, the ADC chairman said, stressing the significance of a strong opposition as a foundation of democracy.
Limiting people’s ability to participate in politics undermines democracies, Mark said.
He emphasised that the core principles of democratic government are under threat whenever there is an attempt to curtail the power of opposition parties or decrease public engagement.
According to the National Chairman, Nigeria has reached a tipping point where the country’s political space needs protection so that all citizens can be heard and rival parties can run their campaigns freely.
More than the dominance of any one political body, he said, it is the engagement of the people that keeps democracies alive.
The notions of justice and inclusion, which are crucial for democratic stability, are undermined when the ruling party seeks to consolidate power by excluding opposition, as Mark emphasised.
The ability of different political parties in Nigeria to live along and compete fairly is crucial to the country’s democracy, he said, framing the issue as a national emergency.
Efforts to welcome opposition representatives are part of a larger campaign to maintain democratic standards, according to the ADC leader.
His point was that these kinds of efforts are more than lip service; they stand as real resistance against authoritarian trends.
Leadership should be acquired by trust and consent rather than imposed through control, as Mark pointed out, and the inclusion of former opposition leaders in the ADC is a symbol of that dedication to inclusive politics.
He went on to say that the ADC’s stance represents legitimate opposition to political dominance.
To counter efforts to consolidate power, Mark cited the party’s involvement and recruitment of Kwankwaso and others.
He argued that this paradigm of the opposition banding together and taking part is a workable way to keep the power to decide on the political course of Nigeria with the electorate.
Mark concluded his address with a statement emphasizing the party’s position and democratic vision: “What we are witnessing today is one of those lawful means. It is our way of saying no to totalitarian rule in Nigeria.
It is a way of saying, ‘Let the people decide.’ By coming together, we are sending a clear message that the future of Nigeria cannot be built through domination; it must be built through participation. Leadership cannot be sustained by control; it must be earned through trust.”
