Tinubu's Chief of Staff urges ADC lawmaker to stay and worsen party crisis

Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, praised House of Representatives member Leke Abejide for 'doing a great job' for the All Progressives Congress (APC) during Abejide’s birthday ceremony. He urged Abejide to ignore APC members inviting him to join the ruling party, telling him to stay in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and 'scatter them.'

Gbajabiamila also said, 'Don’t come to APC. Stay in ADC and scatter them. We like what you’re doing. Don’t mind former governor Yahaya Bello, who said you should join APC. No, no, no, stay in ADC and win your election. Also, bring Bala Gombe, and we’ll support him. Good luck in court.' The remarks came as ADC faces internal crises, with the party split into two factions led by Nafiu Gombe and another bloc.

Such open encouragement of opposition infighting reveals a strategy to weaken rival parties ahead of elections, potentially undermining democratic competition. ADC’s current struggles—including the recent quit of its Adamawa chapter Binani-led bloc—show how external pressure can exacerbate internal splits. For voters, this raises questions about the authenticity of opposition alternatives and the health of Nigeria’s multi-party system. How should citizens assess party strength when ruling figures openly work to foment discord, and what steps can parties take to resist external destabilization while maintaining internal cohesion?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/04/20/we-like-what-youre-doing-scatter-adc-more-gbajabiamila-to-adc-rep/