ABUJA — For months, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been a house divided, a theatre of courtroom dramas and leadership tussles. But on a celebratory weekend in Abuja, what was intended to be a private event for Representative Leke Abejide’s family instead became the spark for a national political wildfire involving the highest echelons of the Presidency.
A viral video featuring Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, has pulled back the curtain on the administration’s interest in opposition dynamics. His words—blunt, tactical, and aggressive—have left many asking: Is the ruling party governing the country, or actively managing the opposition’s internal wars?
“Don’t Abandon Them”
The setting was the 50th birthday and 20th wedding anniversary of Hon. Abejide’s wife. As the music dimmed, Gbajabiamila, a seasoned veteran of legislative warfare and former Speaker of the House, offered “advice” to the Yagba Federal Constituency lawmaker.
“I know you to be a fighter,” Gbajabiamila said, leaning in. “So please, my charge to you is to stay in that same ADC. Fight them. Scatter them! Hold on to your party… We like what you are doing.”
The Chief of Staff went further, claiming the ADC belonged to Abejide because he built it with his “sweat and money.” He specifically advised against a defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC)—an unusual move for a high-ranking ruling party official—urging Abejide instead to reclaim the ADC through the courts and strategic alliances.
The Art of the ‘Friendly’ Opposition
Political analysts suggest that Gbajabiamila’s advice is less about protecting the ADC’s integrity and more about a “divide and conquer” playbook for 2027. By encouraging a loyalist like Abejide to stay within the ADC and “scatter” dissenters, the Presidency may be looking to ensure the party remains a manageable entity rather than a unified threat.
“It is the classic strategy of maintaining ‘controlled opposition,'” says Dr. Aminu Salami, a political scientist. “If you can have a friend in charge of the house next door, you don’t need to worry about who is planning a raid on yours.”
The mention of former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello in the video—who reportedly encouraged Abejide to join the APC—further highlights the friction within the ruling party’s own ranks regarding how to handle the 2027 chessboard.
A Storm of Backlash
The reaction has been swift and stinging. Within hours of the video going viral, social media platforms were flooded with accusations of “undemocratic interference.”
Groups within the ADC described the Chief of Staff’s comments as “troubling” and an “undemocratic” level of interference. They argued that the Presidency should be focused on national economic recovery rather than “micromanaging the internal disputes of opposition parties.”
For many Nigerians, the video confirms a long-held suspicion: that the “big tent” of the Tinubu administration has many rooms, some of which are located inside the headquarters of their rivals.
Abejide’s Tightrope Walk
Caught in the middle is Leke Abejide himself. The lawmaker has long navigated a unique path, supporting President Tinubu’s agenda while remaining the face of the ADC. His response to the video was a masterclass in political ambiguity: “My heart is with both APC and ADC,” he told reporters.
As the dust settles from this “celebration” in Abuja, one thing is clear: the road to 2027 will not be paved with traditional party lines, but with the “sweat, money,” and strategic “scattering” of those who dare to challenge the status quo.
