The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council has publicly urged Nigerians to turn away from the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its presidential hopeful Atiku Abubakar, warning that the party’s leadership has left workers without pay for more than a year. In a statement released on Monday, October 26 2026, spokesperson Dele Alake said the council could not support a party that, in its view, fails to manage its own payroll. The appeal comes as the nation prepares for the upcoming general elections, a contest that will decide who occupies the highest offices in the country. Alake’s remarks link the alleged wage arrears to a broader claim that the ADC cannot be trusted with the nation’s resources. The focus on “atiku adc” appears early, setting the tone for the council’s campaign narrative.
According to the APC council, the ADC’s National Working Committee, chaired by former Senate President Senator David Mark and with former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola serving as secretary, has neglected to pay party workers for over twelve months. The council described the situation as “unacceptable,” arguing that a political organization aspiring to govern must first demonstrate responsible management of its own affairs. It added that the affected staff rely on their salaries for daily sustenance, and that the party’s leadership has shown little concern for their welfare. The statement further claimed that the unpaid wages undermine the ADC’s image as a credible alternative to the current political establishment. By highlighting the alleged neglect, the APC hopes to sway both party activists and the broader electorate.
The council did not limit its criticism to the ADC’s internal structure; it also pointed to Atiku Abubakar’s personal business record. Alake’s statement alleged that workers at Gotel Communications, a company linked to the former vice‑president, and other enterprises associated with Atiku had gone months without receiving salaries, prompting protests over unpaid wages and benefits. While the council did not provide specific figures, it suggested a pattern of delayed remuneration that mirrors the party’s alleged failures. The narrative seeks to portray Atiku as a leader who, despite his prominence, has not honoured his obligations to employees. By drawing this parallel, the APC aims to cast doubt on his capacity to manage the country’s economy.
Aregbesola’s tenure as governor of Osun State also came under scrutiny. The APC council claimed that during his eight‑year administration, state workers were at times paid only a quarter or half of their entitled salaries, and that pensioners went without benefits for more than four years. These accusations echo longstanding grievances voiced by civil‑servants in the southwest, and they are used to reinforce the message that the ADC’s leadership lacks a record of fiscal responsibility. The council argued that such a history makes it difficult to trust the party with national finances. By linking past state‑level wage issues to the present party’s alleged shortcomings, the APC hopes to create a consistent narrative of mismanagement.
In its statement, the council emphasized that the alleged inability of the ADC to meet basic payroll obligations directly contradicts the party’s positioning as a viable alternative to the incumbent government. “A party that aspires to govern Nigeria and which cannot be trusted with something as basic as the management of its own affairs and the welfare of its workforce should be rejected by Nigerians,” Alake said. The council called on all Nigerians, especially workers, to reject the ADC, Atiku and any candidate contesting under the ADC banner in the forthcoming polls. This appeal is aimed at both the party’s grassroots operatives and the wider voting public, seeking to turn wage‑related grievances into a decisive political weapon.
The APC’s move follows a broader pattern of political parties leveraging internal disputes and alleged misconduct to gain electoral advantage. In Nigeria’s highly competitive multiparty system, accusations of financial impropriety are common during election cycles, as parties seek to differentiate themselves on issues of integrity and governance. While the ADC has not publicly responded to the specific allegations in the APC’s statement, it is likely to issue a rebuttal to protect its reputation ahead of the vote. The timing of the council’s announcement, just weeks before the election, suggests a strategic effort to shape voter perception at a critical moment.
Political analysts note that wage issues resonate deeply with ordinary Nigerians, many of whom depend on regular pay from both the public and private sectors to meet basic needs. The narrative of unpaid salaries can therefore be a potent rallying point, especially in a country where inflation and cost‑of‑living pressures remain high. By framing the ADC’s alleged failures as a direct threat to workers’ livelihoods, the APC hopes to tap into a widespread concern and translate it into electoral support for its own candidates. Whether the strategy will succeed depends on how convincingly each side can substantiate its claims and how voters weigh these issues against other considerations such as policy proposals and ethnic or regional affiliations.
As the election calendar draws nearer, the APC campaign council’s warning marks the latest development in a heated pre‑poll environment. The council has signalled that it will continue to monitor the ADC’s internal affairs and will issue further statements if new evidence emerges. Meanwhile, the ADC is expected to mount a defense of its leadership and to question the motives behind the APC’s accusations. Voters will soon have to decide whether the allegations of unpaid salaries are enough to sway their choices at the ballot box, or whether other factors will dominate their decision‑making in the upcoming general elections.
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