Kwara ADC and Former Spokesman Clash Over Resignation

The Kwara State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its former Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Basambo, have exchanged harsh words over his resignation. The party claims he resigned to avoid facing disciplinary action. Basambo argues he left because of leadership failures and a lack of internal democracy.

Basambo announced his resignation in a letter dated October 23, 2026. He sent this letter to the state chairman through the ward chairman of Magaji Are 1 and the chairman of the Ilorin East Local Government Area chapter.

In the letter titled ‘Letter of Resignation from ADC’, Basambo accused some party leaders and members of the state executive committee of being hypocritical and dishonest. He said it was hard for him to accept the direction of the party in Kwara State.

"This decision was not taken lightly. After deep reflection, I can no longer cope with the direction the party is going in the state. There is so much hypocrisy, lies, and double standards amongst some party leaders and State Excos who parade themselves as loyal leaders," he wrote.

However, the state ADC Secretary, Ibrahim Alege, released a statement on Sunday. He said Basambo’s resignation did not surprise committed party members. Alege claimed that worries about Basambo’s behavior and commitment to the party’s ideals led to the leadership and Council of Elders starting disciplinary proceedings against him.

"For some time, concerns had been raised regarding Mr Basambo’s conduct and commitment to the ideals of the party. These concerns prompted the party’s leadership and Council of Elders to initiate established internal disciplinary procedures. Rather than allow that process to run its course, he chose to resign," Alege said.

Alege described the resignation as a personal decision. He insisted it should not be seen as a sign of weakness in the ADC.

"No individual is greater than the party, and every member is expected to uphold its constitution and principles without compromise," he said.

He maintained that the party would keep being accountable and would not sacrifice its values for personal interests or political convenience.

But Basambo responded to the party’s claims in a statement shared with PUNCH Online in Ilorin on Sunday. He denied resigning to avoid disciplinary action. He alleged he was never formally notified of any accusations against him or given a chance to defend himself.

"Let me state it unequivocally: I resigned voluntarily and on principle. I did not resign to evade any process. No formal allegation was ever served on me in writing, and I was never given a fair hearing to respond," he said.

Basambo also questioned who was on the proposed disciplinary panel. He claimed it included people whose actions he had previously challenged.

"You cannot be a judge in your own case. I cannot face a panel populated by the very persons whose anti-party activities and impunity I challenged," he said.

He accused the party’s leadership of failing to create an effective political structure in the state. He described the ADC in Kwara as "structurally comatose".

Basambo challenged the party to show its public engagement and campaign activities. He claimed it lacked visible publicity and adequate facilities for its operations.

"Show me one billboard of the ADC in Kwara. Show me one radio program sponsored by the party to sensitise the public. There is none, except for the personal efforts of a few serious-minded candidates, particularly in Kwara South and one Senatorial candidate from the North," he said.

He also claimed the party’s state secretariat was uninhabitable and questioned why there were no campaign offices for its candidates.

Basambo stated that some members of the Council of Elders had taken charge of the party and were dealing with other political parties without accountability.

"The party has been hijacked. The elders not only meet and negotiate with other political parties daily, they act with total impunity," he alleged.

He further accused some influential members of sidelining the state executive and undermining the state chairman’s authority.

"The State Executive is not functioning. The State Chairman has been rendered powerless. A few individuals, acting as untouchable superpowers, have privatised the party," he said.

Basambo also alleged that a candidate who won the party’s House of Assembly primary in Oyun Local Government Area had been removed and replaced based on the discretion of some party leaders. He did not provide more details about this replacement.

In his resignation letter, Basambo criticized the ADC governorship candidate, Zakari Mohammed. He said Mohammed’s arrogance and some party members' behavior pushed him to leave.

He warned that these internal problems could hurt the party’s growth if not fixed.

"If this situation does not change, it will surely bring the party down. This party cannot grow with hungry and hypocritical people parading themselves as leaders," he wrote.

Basambo, who was a former Labour Party governorship candidate, said his political experience helped shape his view of the ADC’s structure and leadership in Kwara.

"As a former LP Gubernatorial candidate and former State PRO, I know what a serious party looks like. This is not it," he said.

He defended his meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate, Bolakale Kawu. He said it was not meant to undermine the ADC.

"For the purpose of clarity and to exonerate myself from any anti-party allegation, my meeting with Mallam Bolakale Kawu was purely an act of brotherhood and that of a committed member trying to canvas for the party," he stated in his resignation letter.

Basambo also alleged that some ADC leaders had engaged in similar activities behind the scenes but did not give details about those individuals or meetings.

Despite his criticism of the party, he thanked his political leader, Abubakar Kannike, whom he described as a man of honor and sincerity. He said he would continue to respect him even after leaving the party.

Basambo confirmed that his resignation took immediate effect. He said he had no regrets and wanted to keep his political integrity.

Meanwhile, Alege stated that the ADC was focused on building a political alternative for the people of Kwara State and Nigeria.

"Our mission is to provide transparent, people-oriented leadership driven by honesty, competence, and service," the party secretary said.

He called on the public to keep supporting the party, insisting that it remained united and committed to delivering the leadership Kwarans deserve.