By Dapo Akinrefon, Omeiza Ajayi, Haruna Aliyu, Luminous Jannamike & Gift Chapi Odekina

LESS than 24 hours toits national convention, African Democratic Congress, ADC, yesterday, was without a venue in Abuja, throwing a major opposition gathering into uncertainty before a last-minute move in the evening secured Rainbow Event Centre for today’s exercise.

The last-minute scramble reflects mounting pressure on the party, from stalled approvals and failed venue talks to a deepening internal crisis, as it prepares for a convention expected to shape its leadership and role in a broader opposition coalition, ahead of 2027.

Indeed, the party was locked in claims and counter-claims with the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, Minister, Nyesom Wike, over use of Eagle Square for the exercise.

While the ADC produced a letter seeking approval for the use of the facility, and accused Wike of refusal, the minister said the party did not apply to use Eagle Square.

This happened on a day former Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Malam Abubakar Malami, SAN, said the ADC had a formidable platform to unseat the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, and rescue Nigeria.
This was as the House of Representatives caucus of the ADC called for the prosecution of the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, over alleged bias and electoral irregularities.

Why we chose Rainbow Event Centre
However, in a tweet, late yesterday evening, the ADC said it had got Rainbow Event Center, Abuja, as a new venue for its national convention scheduled for today..
The party said the event centre would provide a central, accessible and fitting venue for delegates and stakeholders expected from across the country.
“The choice of Abuja underscores the national significance of the gathering and sets the stage for a well-coordinated convention in a vibrant hub that is easily reachable for participants from all parts of Nigeria,” the statement added.

Minister denied us use of Eagle Square
Speaking on the hurdles the party surmounted to get a venue, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, media aide to Senator David Mark, the embattled National Chairman of the ADC, said: “24 hours to the ADC National Convention, the Nigerians-aligned political party is yet to be issued a venue.”
According to him, the party formally approached the office of the Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, seeking approval to use Eagle Square but received no response, despite an acknowledgment.
“A letter was presented to the Office of Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Minister, Chief Nyesom Wike, for a permit to use the Eagles Square. The letter was acknowledged but no response,” he added.
He said the party also explored using facilities at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, including the Velodrome, but noted that those efforts also failed.

Fruitless visits to Sports ministry
“The ADC team paid several visits to the Ministry of Sports officials at the MKO Stadium. At the end, ADC was refused the use of the Velodrome,” Ologbondiyan stated.

Private event centres owners’re scared
Beyond public facilities, he said privately-owned event centres also declined to host the convention, citing fears of possible repercussions.
“To make matters worse, privately owned Event Centres in Abuja are turning down the ADC requests for fears of harassment in various forms from the government,” he said.
Despite the setbacks, the ADC insisted the convention would go ahead as planned, pointing to its formal notice to INEC.

No going back on today’s convention
“All ADC members, teeming party supporters and, indeed, all Nigerians are assured that, as contained in the Notice issued to INEC, the ADC National Convention will hold in Abuja as scheduled on Tuesday (today), April 14, 2026,” he said.
The convention is expected to draw thousands of delegates and is a key step in the party’s effort to strengthen its structure and consolidate alliances, ahead of the next general election cycle.
It is, however, unfolding against a backdrop of a protracted leadership crisis, with rival factions laying claim to the party and the electoral body yet to recognise a unified structure.
While the Mark-led faction is pushing ahead with the convention, a rival bloc aligned with Dumebi Kachikwu has rejected the process and is charting a separate course, deepening uncertainty over the party’s cohesion.
The Presidency has denied any interference in opposition activities, maintaining that all political parties operate within the law, even as the developments raise broader questions about the space for opposition politics in the country.

ADC didn’t apply to use Eagle Square — Wike
However, Wike yesterday dismissed allegations by the ADC that it was blocked from accessing Eagle Square.
Speaking during a project inspection tour, he described claims of politically-motivated access denial to Eagle Square as “unfounded” and as “attempts to gain public sympathy.”
According to him, no formal application has been received from any of the parties raising the alarm.
He stressed that Eagle Square remained open to all groups so long as they followed due process and paid the required fees.
“We do not deny access; these events actually generate revenue for the government. Who denied them? I am not aware of any such development, and I don’t even know which party you are referring to. If it is African Democratic Congress, such claims are their usual attempt to gain public sympathy,” Wike said.
He explained that the use of Eagle Square was subject to due process, which includes formal application through the Abuja Investments Company Limited AICL, the agency in charge of the facility and payment of required fees.
Wike also pointed out that the Moshood Abiola National Stadium Velodrome was not under the Federal Capital Territory Administration FCTA, but the National Sports Commission, NSC.
“As we speak, no formal application has been submitted to the Abuja Investments Company Limited. When the APC used the venue and PDP used the Stadium Velodrome, they complied with the process. We do not deny anyone access if the rules are followed,” he added.

We’ve formidable platform to rescue Nigeria, unseat APC — Malami 

Boasting about the potentials of the ADC, Abubakar Malami, in a statement by his Media Aide, Bello Doka, in an appreciation message to his Kebbi supporters, stated that he remained resolute, unshaken and dogged in his quest to reposition Kebbi State through the ballot box, having witnessed unprecedented support when he returned home after almost ceaseless political persecution from the APC-led central government.

He reaffirmed his absolute loyalty to his party supporters and the leadership of the ADC in Kebbi State on whose back he said he would ride to Kebbi State’s seat of government.

“My homecoming is not ordinary but a clear message of uncompromising quest for truth and rescue, in ADC we have a formidable coalition capable of rescuing Nigeria and our state, I will remain undeterred and strong in the face of political persecution,” he said.